Virgin Atlantic Airways announces Mumbai flights

Virgin Atlantic has announced that it is scheduled to launch new daily flights to Mumbai, India, from October 2012 from London’s Heathrow Airport. The daily flight will offer easy connections to US cities, including New York, Boston, Chicago and Washington as part of the airline’s strategy to build a connecting network from Heathrow. Virgin Atlantic’s A330 aircraft will be deployed for the service, which is expected to create 100 jobs both in India and the UK. There is an increasing demand for flights between Heathrow and Mumbai, as passenger numbers have grown by nine per cent to more than a million passengers since 2009. The route is Heathrow’s 12th busiest long-haul route, and it is being launched on the back of flights from New Delhi to London and New York services, which has seen a 20 per cent growth in passenger numbers since 2011. Chief executive, Virgin Atlantic Airways, Steve Ridgway said: “Virgin Atlantic is proud to be flying to Mumbai again, linking this wonderful city to our key destinations of London, New York, Boston, Washington and Chicago. India’s phenomenal growth continues to drive travel to the UK and the US, and we know our passengers are going to love the connections the new flight offers.     “We are passionate about providing a unique service to customers and our new Airbus 330-300 will feature our brand new Upper Class Dreamsuite. We’ll continue to offer Indian entertainment and delicacies on board served by local Indian crew. Importantly the plane is also our most fuel efficient aircraft, delivering Virgin Atlantic’s commitment to flying a lower carbon fleet.” British High Commissioner to India, James Bevan said: “I am delighted that Virgin Atlantic has announced it is expanding into Mumbai. This is a welcome new offering for passengers travelling to and from India’s commercial capital, be it for business, leisure, education, sport or culture. The expansion of air links between the UK and India helps to underpin the vibrant people to people ties between our two countries. And it reinforces the UK’s position as an unrivalled global hub for business and a stepping stone to the rest of the world.”