California dreaming…it’s Virgin on reality

VIRGIN Atlantic is to become the first airline to provide direct flights to San Francisco from Manchester.

The carrier has announced it is to step up flights out of Manchester Airport to the USA with two new direct routes – to the northern Californian city and Boston – from the summer of 2017.

Both routes will operate in conjunction with joint venture partner Delta Air Lines.

In addition to the new US routes, the airline will be increasing the frequency of its service to Barbados.

Operating three times weekly, the Manchester-San Francisco flights will connect the region with world famous landmarks such as Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz and Fisherman’s Wharf.

The new route to the historic city of Boston in New England will fly twice weekly.

Erik Varwijk, executive vice president of commercial at Virgin Atlantic said: “We’re delighted to be able to offer our customers these two new direct flights to the USA from Manchester Airport.

“In addition to our current services to Atlanta, Las Vegas, Orlando and Barbados, the new routes to San Francisco and Boston really open up America for our customers.

“This year marks 20 years of our first ever flight from Manchester and we’ll continue to look for opportunities to offer our unique experience on routes where our customers are looking to fly.”

Virgin Atlantic and partner Delta Air Lines are also offering flights from Manchester  to New York JFK.

Delta says its extensive domestic network in the US, gives customers the ability to connect conveniently to over 200 destinations in the United States.

Both new services will operate on one of the newest A330 aircraft and will be fully configured with upper class, premium economy and economy cabins.

Manchester Airport managing director Ken O’Toole said: “Securing the first ever direct flight between Manchester and San Francisco is a significant moment for a number of reasons.

“It gives the 22 million passengers living within two hours of Manchester Airport yet another great long haul destination to choose from and it is sure to prove popular with leisure travellers.

“It will also deliver a real boost to the North’s economy by providing a direct link to the world’s leading location for tech and biomedical start-ups, which is now home to some of the biggest brands on the planet, like Google, Twitter and Uber.

Joanna Cooke, trade marketing director for Visit California said: “This new route will make it easier than ever for travellers from the North of England and Scotland to experience the Golden State and its world famous iconic cities, beautiful beaches and scenic coastal drives.

“San Francisco is a perfect city break destination with quirky neighbourhoods, culture, and nightlife.

“San Francisco airport also serves as the gateway to the Bay Area and Northern California where travellers can experience the Redwood parks, world famous Yosemite National Park or take in countless vineyards, craft breweries and indulge in the freshest farm-to-fork cuisine.”

In addition to the new routes from Manchester, Virgin Atlantic has also  announced a codeshare with Europe’s largest regional airline, Flybe, offering increased travel options from Europe and points around the UK.
 
Its customers will now be able to buy tickets from UK and European airports including Edinburgh, Milan, Dusseldorf, Paris and Exeter, connecting on to Virgin Atlantic business and leisure destinations from Manchester, Glasgow and London Gatwick.