Mumbai: The Virgin Atlantic airline will resume its London-Mumbai flights in October, after a hiatus of three years. The Richard Branson-owned airline’s move comes six months after Kingfisher Airlines suspended its London flights and plans to join Virgin’s rival British Airways-led oneworld alliance. Kingfisher’s entry into oneworld would have given British Airways a bigger passenger feed from Indian market, and made difficult for Virgin to grab market share.
Virgin had operated London-Mumbai flights between 2005 and 2009. Its return comes at a time when other foreign airlines are cutting down on their flights in India or pulling out altogether, citing increase in operating costs and charges at Delhi airport.
Virgin's CEO Steve Ridgway said that his airline will be able to attract airline passengers from India. “We had to withdraw our service in 2009 due to the global economic slowdown, but we always said if it was economically viable we would come back. The time is now right, with the Mumbai-London market growing by nine per cent since 2009, and we are looking forward to starting our flights next month and serving the people of Mumbai,” Ridgway said in an email response to Business Standard. Virgin currently flies on the Delhi-London route.
04/10/12 Aneesh Phadnis/Business Standard
To Read the News in full at Source, Click the Headline
Virgin had operated London-Mumbai flights between 2005 and 2009. Its return comes at a time when other foreign airlines are cutting down on their flights in India or pulling out altogether, citing increase in operating costs and charges at Delhi airport.
Virgin's CEO Steve Ridgway said that his airline will be able to attract airline passengers from India. “We had to withdraw our service in 2009 due to the global economic slowdown, but we always said if it was economically viable we would come back. The time is now right, with the Mumbai-London market growing by nine per cent since 2009, and we are looking forward to starting our flights next month and serving the people of Mumbai,” Ridgway said in an email response to Business Standard. Virgin currently flies on the Delhi-London route.
04/10/12 Aneesh Phadnis/Business Standard
