VIRGIN Atlantic (VS)
will up its current
daily service between
Johannesburg’s OR Tambo
International Airport and
London Heathrow to a
double-daily service from
October 28. This will make
Johannesburg the first city
outside of the UK and US to
get double-daily VS flights.
Liezl Gericke, head of
Middle East and Africa of
Virgin Atlantic, told TNW
that the decision to launch
a double-daily service on
the Johannesburg route
was due to an upsurge in
both inbound and outbound
demand. She says the airline
is hugely excited and very
proud to be launching this
service.
“We are entering a period
of significant change and
development in South Africa,
a time flush with opportunity,”
she says. “This new service
is proof of our commitment
to supporting the country’s
ambitious tourism and trade
agenda, whilst supporting
our local partners to flourish
in this period of growth.
With an additional 188 000
seats annually between
Johannesburg and London,
we are contributing to the 9%
annual growth the air travel
market expects to see in the
first quarter.”
The outbound flight will
depart London at 16h45
and arrive in Johannesburg
at 05h40. The inbound flight
will depart Johannesburg at
22h20 and arrive in London
at 07h30. Liezl says the
route has been timed to
enable easy connections to
flights with Virgin Atlantic and
Delta Air Lines to over 200
US destinations, including
Los Angeles and San
Francisco.
The second daily flight will
also be operated by a 258-
seat Boeing 787-9 with 31
seats in business class, 35
in premium economy, 36 in
Economy Delight and 156 in
economy. Tickets will go on
sale on March 24.
VS’s three new economyclass
options, namely
‘Economy Delight’, ‘Economy
Classic’ and ‘Economy Light’,
will also be available on the
new flight. For more about
the new options, see story on
page 4.
