VS returning to Mumbai from Oct 27th

VS to resume flights to Mumbai from 27 October 2019:

https://www.virginatlantic.com/gb/en/travel-information/travel-news.html

[mitchja]

VS are restarting their Mumbai service again daily from 27th October 2019.

LHR – BOM: 10:15-00:40
BOM – LHR: 02:55-07:35

Aircraft with be a B789.

Fares go on sale from May 28th.

Those are some ugly flight times though I suspect it is to capture North American traffic.

Nonetheless delighted to see VS resurrect the route!

Wasn’t BOM only seasonal previously?

Those are some ugly flight times though I suspect it is to capture North American traffic.

Nonetheless delighted to see VS resurrect the route!

Plus a case of using whatever LHR slots VS have that need using or they'll lose.

Seems like they've been able to pick up the slot vacated by Jet Airways. All we need now is Sydney reinstated.

There’s other Eastern destinations that make more sense before Sydney such as Tokyo or Singapore.

Any idea what slot this is taking? Looks like possibly a MIA? Was only a matter of time and clearly indicated VS don't foresee Jet re-emerging. Now when do we get the Vistara codeshare? (remember they are part owned by SQ).

I do wonder if we will see any further growth this year - that's TLV, GRU and BOM - real growth for VS - could we dare to say Tokyo will also return in 2020?

10:10 is the ATL departure time at present but they do seem to swap them around much more than years ago.

Seems like they've been able to pick up the slot vacated by Jet Airways. All we need now is Sydney reinstated.

Jet slots were in the main owned by Eithad. They have since either used them themselves or leased them out. I can see reference to them leasing the ones they don't currently need to Air Serbia but not to VS.

One of the major things on Virgin’s “to do” list will be finding another Indian partner. I agree Vistara are a good option, but it is interesting to see VS are willing to fly these routes on their own metal.

The rate they are going a new aircraft order seems to be due in short order.

I’ve said this multiple times but I just don’t understand where the aircraft are coming from, again a quick recap on additional requirements:

1x Daily BOS (The second daily)
1x Daily JNB (The second daily) (which is very low usage as they spend 12 hours on the ground in JNB!!)
1x Daily LAS (Transferred from LGW)
1x Daily TLV
1x Daily BOM
1x Daily GRU

Even accounting for having all of the 787s back I just can’t see how this works. My theory is that some 340s will be kept on a little longer and then we might see the 350 mix between LHR/LGW config shift so that there’s additional LHR config 350s and the 747s get a longer stay of execution?

Seems like they've been able to pick up the slot vacated by Jet Airways. All we need now is Sydney reinstated.

Jet slots were in the main owned by Eithad. They have since either used them themselves or leased them out. I can see reference to them leasing the ones they don't currently need to Air Serbia but not to VS.

Oh, I didn't know that. I made my assumption based on this article.

https://thepointsguy.co.uk/news/virgin-atlantic-resuming-flights-to-mumbai-india/

Don't want to draw the conversation away from ColOrd's intriguing comment (i've wondered the same myself immensely), but very glad to see this route come back. Prior to it going away, it got a huge feed of passengers from VS2/4/46. Was not uncommon to see 50-75 pax transferring ("hot transfer" as VS liked to call it, for anything <90 min connection, not sure if still the case) from those flights to the VS354.

If you look at current schedules, BA and AI also have at least one departure in the AM/midday window, resulting in a ~12am or later arrival into BOM. So VS is not alone in this interesting window. I know last time the departure window was cited as one of the numerous cancel factors here but here's hoping to success this time around! With Jet out the door now there is a much better chance for stability and success, i'd like to hope.

Given I previously got VS AU purely based on this route, I am glad to see it back. The timings do suit Indian departures, and connections to US being perfect on arrival to arrive, go to bed, and be at work next morning (assuming a nearby to airport work!). And ditto departures perfect as you done a full day of work, shower/change, off to airport shuffle ;) For Mumbai it's actually a sensible flight time, as BA also have a departure around here for similar connecting pax reasons, and I can confirm that routing was usually "filled" with pax in Y/W

However, now I've moved job and have no need to go to BOM - it's a shame I won't be frequenting it as much!. VS was also loved by the locals on the connecting route - and was far more pleasant that BA on the route. If I ever get tempted back to the old role at old company - I'd definitely be choosing this over BA's tired 747/777 on the same route.

Those are some ugly flight times though I suspect it is to capture North American traffic.

Nonetheless delighted to see VS resurrect the route!

One of the BA flights is at a similar time and, as you say, is well-timed for those connecting on/off the US flights, so although not pleasant from an O&D perspective there's logic behind it. If it's also dependent on LHR slots then there may not have been much choice.

Now, mindful that MAN expansion has always been to destinations already served from London, if this route is a success could VS eventually launch MAN-BOM too or will the LHR route mop up the connecting traffic that was funneled via MAN for that route's brief existence?

I’ve said this multiple times but I just don’t understand where the aircraft are coming from, again a quick recap on additional requirements:

1x Daily BOS (The second daily)
1x Daily JNB (The second daily) (which is very low usage as they spend 12 hours on the ground in JNB!!)
1x Daily LAS (Transferred from LGW)
1x Daily TLV
1x Daily BOM
1x Daily GRU

Even accounting for having all of the 787s back I just can’t see how this works. My theory is that some 340s will be kept on a little longer and then we might see the 350 mix between LHR/LGW config shift so that there’s additional LHR config 350s and the 747s get a longer stay of execution?

I don't know when the first 747 is scheduled to be withdrawn, but my gut feeling is that they may hold on to the 747's for a tad longer if needed. Their cavernous capacity can be put to good use on certain routes in order to free up twinjets for expansion. I'd be surprised and saddened if a route elsewhere is going to be sacrificed otherwise.

I can only assume that from late-October and through the winter months aircraft utilisation isn't as intense as the summer, so combined with the opportunity arising from Jet's demise they can accommodate it for the time being.