|
|
Dubai-London flights from Virgin Atlantic launched
Dubai is the second largest long-haul flight out of London Heathrow.
BY OUR AVIATION CORRESPONDENT
April 8, 2006
Dubai-London flights from Virgin Atlantic have taken off from March 2006, making Dubai the first Middle-east destination for the British airline. The Dubai-London flights will initially operate four days a week from London Heathrow airport. The flight frequency will increase to five a week from May 1 and to daily flights from June 1.
Dubai is the largest long-haul flight destination out of London. Virgin Atlantic hopes to tap into the demand for increasing business and leisure travel between the two big cities. At Virgin's launch of Dubai flights, its chairman Richard Branson said that he has traveled to Dubai several times in the past few years and was impressed by the city's approach to growth.
Virgin Atlantic's flight to Dubai (flight VS400) leaves from London Heathrow on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 21:00 and will arrive in Dubai International Airport at 07:10 the following morning. Return flights to Heathrow (flight VS401) depart Dubai on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays at 14:35 and arrive into Heathrow at 19:10.
Virgin will use Airbus A340-600 and Airbus 340-300 aircraft to fly Dubai-London. Both planes will be equipped with an Upper Class Suite. This class has a reclining leather seat for take off, a place to sit and eat a meal opposite a partner and fully flat beds with a proper mattress. There is also a private onboard bar, a private massage zone and four limousines per return trip.
Said Branson: "We are delighted to be extending choice between London and Dubai. We can't wait to introduce daily services from 1st June. We are confident that we can make big in-roads into this market targeting 10% market share in our first year of operation."
|
