Virgin Atlantic expands at Manchester Airport

Virgin Atlantic is expanding its operation out of Manchester Airport, with brand new flights from its Northern base, the opening of a new Clubhouse and a refurbished Virgin Holidays v-room at the airport.

 

As the airline continues to grow in Manchester, its winter schedule from the city will be its biggest to date, with nearly 30,000 additional seats year on year, offering more customers an award-winning full-service experience on-board.

 

The augmented schedule includes additional flights to Barbados, along with increased capacity on the popular New York service, meeting the needs of both leisure and business travellers;

 

• The largest aircraft in the fleet, the Boeing 747, will now operate a greater number of services to New York JFK, increasing MAN-JFK capacity by 65% year on year
• A third weekly service from Manchester to Barbados will be introduced for the full Winter 2019 season.

 

These additional services are already on sale for travel on various dates through the Winter 2019 season, with fares starting from as little as £409 return.

 

The airline is now reviewing options to add further flights and new destinations to its Winter 2019/ Summer 2020 schedule. A greater number of flights from Manchester to Orlando will come into effect during peak travel periods.

 

Last year, Virgin Atlantic increased capacity from Manchester airport by 20%, including a new service between Manchester and Los Angeles, transporting more than 20,000 customers to the west coast city in its first three months, providing the only business class cabin on the route.

 

 

In order to provide an unrivalled travel experience, Virgin Atlantic will bring its iconic Clubhouse lounge to Manchester for the first time from Spring 2020.

 

Upper Class customers and Gold Card members can take advantage of the exclusive space before their flight, which will include a la carte dinning and a full service bar, quiet working spaces and a spa, allowing passengers to relax and rejuvenate before they depart.

 

The Virgin Holidays v-room will also get a brand new look, alongside the Clubhouse. Whether you’re a honeymooner off to the Caribbean or taking the kids away to Orlando, the v-room caters for everyone, with a buffet food offering and plenty of play areas for younger travellers.

 

Juha Jarvinen, EVP Commercial at Virgin Atlantic, commented; “As one of our three core hubs in the UK alongside Heathrow and Gatwick, Manchester is Virgin Atlantic’s home in the North. As part of our growth strategy, we have long-since held an ambition to expand in Manchester and that is reflected in a significant 92% increase in seat capacity since 2014. Schedule expansion this winter, coupled with our first ever Clubhouse in the North, demonstrate our clear commitment to the region.

 

“There is a huge opportunity for Virgin Atlantic here; we want to be the airline of choice for customers travelling from Manchester Airport and we’re eager to build upon our announcement today, with a greater number of new flights and destinations to follow in the near future.”

 

Virgin Atlantic flies the newly refurbished Airbus A330-200 and Boeing 747 from Manchester to destinations across the USA and the Caribbean, including Atlanta, Boston, Los Angeles and Las Vegas.  All cabins offer complimentary food and drink, with a full Wi-Fi offering on board.