Virgin Atlantic to add summer capacity
LEISURE airline Virgin Atlantic is to boost capacity from Manchester to Orlando and Las Vegas for summer 2015.
To meet high demand to two of its most popular destinations, the airline is adding 24 additional flights to Orlando and Las Vegas, equating to more than 8,000 additional departure seats for the summer season.
Virgin Atlantic is adding a second daily flight from Manchester to Orlando on Thursdays and Sundays during July and August. There will be a total of 12 additional return flights over the school summer holidays and this will increase the weekly number of flights from Manchester to the Sunshine State from 11 to 13.
Virgin Atlantic will also be adding an extra weekly flight from Manchester to Sin City for a period of 12 weeks between July and October. The additional service will operate on a Tuesday, taking the total number of return flights to three per week over the season.
Joe Thompson, director of network and alliances at Virgin Atlantic, said: “We’re really pleased to announce we’re increasing capacity from Manchester to Orlando and Las Vegas for summer next year.
“Our focus is on our customers and giving them the best service at a competitive price. Our reductions in fuel surcharges, competitive pre-Christmas sale fares and the government’s cuts in APD for children have all laid the foundations for a great 2015 for our customers and, particularly, next year’s summer holiday-makers.”
Mats Sigurdson, aviation director at Manchester Airports Group said: “The airline’s commitment to Manchester showcases the potential for long-haul carriers here in the North West of England.
“It is also testament to the success of our ‘Fly Manchester’ campaign, which clearly proves people want to fly from Manchester Airport. As we enter 2015 we will continue to add more long-haul routes to Manchester Airport and announcements like this highlight the critical role we play in UK aviation.”
The additional flights to Las Vegas between 28th July and 1st September will be operating on an Airbus A340-600, configured with 45 Upper Class seats, 38 Premium Economy seats and 225 seats in Economy.
The additional flights to Las Vegas between 8th September and 13th October and all of the additional Orlando flights will be on a Boeing 747-400, configured with 14 Upper Class seats, 66 Premium Economy seats and 375 seats in Economy.
