Virgin announces new flight schedule with Delta

On April 2nd 2014, Delta will move its arrival and departure terminal to join Virgin Atlantic in Heathrow Terminal 3. This includes its London to New York-JFK, London to Boston, and new London to Seattle services and means the two airlines will co-locate on all New York and Boston flights to London Heathrow.

The move will allow for convenient connections and a seamless customer experience for customers flying with Virgin and Delta, including access to Virgin Atlantic’s award winning Clubhouse for all business class passengers.

“We are working on a series of improvements to enhance the travel experience for our customers,” said Craig Kreeger, Virgin Atlantic’s CEO. “We already co-locate together at New York’s JFK airport and moving some of Delta’s key business flights to join Virgin Atlantic at Heathrow’s Terminal 3 will enhance convenience, and reduce connection times.”

Delta, in co-operation with Virgin Atlantic, will also operate a second daily service between London Heathrow and Detroit Metropolitan Airport effective from June 2nd 2014. The service will ensure an early morning arrival into London. They say it will also offer more choice for customers between London and the U.S. Midwest.

This additional flight will complement Delta’s previously announced new West Coast route between Seattle and London Heathrow, which will launch on March 30th 2014.

Virgin Atlantic is also making significant schedule changes. It is moving its VS1 Heathrow to Newark service from a late afternoon departure to a morning departure. They believe this will will be attractive to business travellers, while an earlier departure on the return flight means passengers can be in London for the start of the working day.

This service is part of nine daily flights between London Heathrow and the New York area by the joint venture partners. The new schedule will include departures every 30 minutes during the early evening peak and then hourly until 10.30 p.m. from New York-JFK to London Heathrow and a spread of seven daily flights from London Heathrow to New York-JFK, including two late afternoon and early evening departures. It also includes two conveniently timed departures to and from Newark.

Virgin Atlantic has also retimed its Heathrow to Boston service to depart two hours later in the afternoon. This offers more flexibility for the two airlines’ customers with Delta’s Heathrow to Boston service departing in the morning. Virgin Atlantic’s evening departure from Boston will also move two hours later, giving greater schedule choice to traveller

“A key reason for our joint venture was to offer customers more choice and convenient schedules, especially for our business travellers,” said Ed Bastian, Delta’s president**. “With our Seattle service, Delta will add its sixth nonstop destination between London and the United States. Combined the Delta-Virgin partnership now offers our customers 33 daily nonstop flights across the Atlantic.”