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#955867 by CommanderB
13 May 2020, 10:26
Maintaining LAX makes total sense for the connections. If there are no direct flights to LAS from MAN anymore, the only other options are the DY seasonal from LGW (if it's still going) and BA via LHR. In the case of BA, it doesn't make a hug difference going via LAX on VS IMHO.
#955868 by Joshl257
13 May 2020, 11:09
What no LAS flight the following was filed on the 5th MAY via RoutesOnline

Virgin Atlantic in summer 2021 season plans aircraft changes for Manchester – Las Vegas service, as the airline extended schedule listing into summer 2021 season last week. The seasonal service will see A330-300 operating 6 times a week, instead of A330-200/-300 mix. Further changes remain possible.Schedule from 28MAR21 as follows.
VS085 MAN0925 – 1210LAS 333 x5
VS086 LAS1430 – 0830+1MAN 333 x5


So something must of dramatically changed over the past week or so. I suspect double daily Tel Aviv service out of LHR has something to do with it. VS has come a very long way at MAN it's a shame the pandemic came a long at the time it did. The A330 will be the only aircraft for the next 2 years at least. I think this is a good thing for VS as they are easier to fill. It will be interesting to see what the frequencies are for the destinations, will be pot luck if you get a A330-300/200.

Regards
Josh
#955869 by Dobbo
13 May 2020, 11:51
Agreed - it is not impossible for LAS to resurface for S21 (I’m the same way that LAX could disappear still) but if while VS are away other carriers move in at LGW, VS’s only growth opportunities for the next 15-20 years at least may be at MAN, so there is plenty of time for a network to be built up and developed at MAN provided VS survive and life gets back to normal.
#955870 by mitchja
13 May 2020, 12:39
On a completely separate subject though still related to MAN, I wonder how delayed the new terminal opening will be now? I can't imagine much has been done on it over the last 7 weeks or so?
#955871 by Dobbo
13 May 2020, 13:32
mitchja wrote:On a completely separate subject though still related to MAN, I wonder how delayed the new terminal opening will be now? I can't imagine much has been done on it over the last 7 weeks or so?


I suspect nothing - how much that matters in the immediate term is up for debate, operations are limited to T1 and I suspect that will continue for some time.

Whether they can or will take the chance to try and finish it before it reopens I don’t know, I suspect any uncommitted CAPEX will be delayed until the long term position of this disaster is known.
#955877 by RyanJW
13 May 2020, 18:03
As someone mentioned in the above thread, unless the convention/expo business comes back quickly (extremely unlikely) to Las Vegas, it might remain a 1 stop connection for a long time.

Interestingly, Delta doesn't do SFO-LAS direct and usually suggests a connection at LAX or SLC. I usually use SJC which is closer to me but I think shows the power of the Hub/Spoke here in the US which Virgin need to take advantage of stateside. I think that is what is driving VS to do the same for TLV/CPT/JND etc for Delta's US customer base via LHR...
#955914 by Tigerlilly
15 May 2020, 14:18
Does anybody know if the planned new virgin clubhouse at MAN is still going ahead? Was planned for spring 2020 but nothing heard since. X
#955915 by Dobbo
15 May 2020, 14:32
Tigerlilly wrote:Does anybody know if the planned new virgin clubhouse at MAN is still going ahead? Was planned for spring 2020 but nothing heard since. X


I think it’s largely finished so it would be a surprise for it to be abandoned at this stage even if it is likely that it is delayed.

These are unusual times - and very little is guaranteed (including VS’s survival).
#955916 by Tigerlilly
15 May 2020, 14:47
Dobbo wrote:
Tigerlilly wrote:Does anybody know if the planned new virgin clubhouse at MAN is still going ahead? Was planned for spring 2020 but nothing heard since. X


I think it’s largely finished so it would be a surprise for it to be abandoned at this stage even if it is likely that it is delayed.

These are unusual times - and very little is guaranteed (including VS’s survival).


I’m keeping everything crossed that they do survive. It was bad enough losing TC, if we lose virgin too then MAN will be dire for Competitive travelling choices to the USA . Thanks for the reply x
#956098 by mitchja
26 May 2020, 16:48
DL have confirmed the cancelation of the new BOS>MAN service for S20.

From routesonline:

Boston – Manchester 1 daily service cancelled in S20


The new BOS>LGW service is also confirmed as been canceled for S20 as well.
#956100 by RLF
26 May 2020, 18:13
Based on experience gained in last couple of weeks, could we still see VS cargo flights until the full schedule is restored, even end of 2020/early 2021?
#956109 by RLF
26 May 2020, 21:26
FLYERZ wrote:Based on this it's a possibility: https://www.routesonline.com/news/38/ai ... 20atlantic

They are already due to operate for a period with passenger floats operating at the same time as cargo only flights. It will come down to what demand looks like as to how soon cargo flights all transition back to passenger only.


Thanks that is really interesting. I can see VS surviving, but looking quite different from what it did in February. Hopefully better than it was, providing a useful service and competition for BA still - and protecting jobs..

Interesting also the MCO doesnt feature prominently in the return to ops, assuming many people who had saved up to go this year will want to go in 2021, along with the 2021 mouse seekers, what sort of mix can we expect to see at MCO 2 x 330 from LHR, 2 from MAN and a fifth from GLA/BFS/ 3rd LHR????
#956110 by flyingfox
26 May 2020, 21:39
MCO and MIA are not on the designated arrival airports list for flights from Europe, so if they do run PAX flights it would need to be routed through somewhere like JFK or ATL for the moment.
#956111 by gumshoe
26 May 2020, 21:46
flyingfox wrote:MCO and MIA are not on the designated arrival airports list for flights from Europe, so if they do run PAX flights it would need to be routed through somewhere like JFK or ATL for the moment.


MCO isn’t but MIA is.
#956112 by flyingfox
26 May 2020, 21:52
gumshoe wrote:
flyingfox wrote:MCO and MIA are not on the designated arrival airports list for flights from Europe, so if they do run PAX flights it would need to be routed through somewhere like JFK or ATL for the moment.


MCO isn’t but MIA is.


Indeed looked at the original 11 list, thanks
#956113 by vji6697
27 May 2020, 08:52
Tried looking at direct flights MAN-LAX for November this year - there does not seem to be any.

Their website still says there will be daily flights - am I missing something ? :)
#956200 by nicsbx
01 Jun 2020, 22:03
Curious if anyone has any idea what might come of this situation.

I’m booked to fly VS75 MAN-MCO on 13th July. As it stands, flights have been cancelled until 12th July and VS are still feeding me the line that they expect flights to resume.

I don’t expect this at all, but wondered when people might think official updates would come? So far all that’s been put out there are the various news articles about VS not starting again till August!

Thanks.
#956201 by Tigerlilly
01 Jun 2020, 22:24
nicsbx wrote:Curious if anyone has any idea what might come of this situation.

I’m booked to fly VS75 MAN-MCO on 13th July. As it stands, flights have been cancelled until 12th July and VS are still feeding me the line that they expect flights to resume.

I don’t expect this at all, but wondered when people might think official updates would come? So far all that’s been put out there are the various news articles about VS not starting again till August!

Thanks.

They are currently saying 2 weeks prior you will get an email if affected . Xx
#956438 by VS075
21 Jun 2020, 10:41
Not directly to do with VS, but I’m hearing United have permanently withdrawn their MAN-EWR service by deleting them from the schedules for later this year/2021 and removed them from the booking engines.

Depending on demand and on the border situation and with the exception of the Jet2 Christmas shopper flights to EWR, VS will have the MAN-New York market all to themselves if they’re able to resume flights soon along with connecting traffic for DL.
#956439 by mitchja
21 Jun 2020, 10:54
The new later departure/arrival time of the MAN>JFK flight makes any onwards connection virtually impossible now though.

The VS127 now departs MAN 16:15 and doesn’t arrive at JFK until 20:05. I would have thought there’s not going to be many onward DL flights at that time?

IMHO VS are shooting themselves in the foot with that departure time.

If I’m connecting through JFK I will always try and book the early VS3 flight from LHR as you arrive at JFK around lunch time making onwards DL connections much much easier.
#956440 by Razorback
21 Jun 2020, 11:43
Our November MAN - ATL is currently scheduled to depart at 15:55 and due into Atlanta at 20:05. Our onward flight is due leave at 22:40 which may allow us to get to an airport hotel at our destination by midnight!

I am hoping that some of the fallout from this crisis may cause VS to have a rethink about their timetable.

Not too optimistic though.
#956442 by mitchja
21 Jun 2020, 12:10
Both the MAN>JFK & MAN>ATL flights do go seem to go back to earlier departure times in 2021. From what I can see a random date in April 2021 shows:

MAN>JFK departs 13:50, arrives 16:40
MAN>ATL departs 11:10, arrives 15:15

Much more sensible!
#956444 by David1946
21 Jun 2020, 16:24
I am also at a loss to understand the new timings for ATL & JFK. We normally use the VS109 to ATL for our annual trip to Naples in February. In the past we have arrived at our hotel around 8pm which is fine. Under the new timings there is only 1 RSW flight after the 109 arrives, if 109 is on time, and this lands us into RSW at 11.55pm. After collecting a car we are now looking at a hotel arrival around 1am!!! If delayed we would have to overnight in ATL, I assume at VS's expense.

In the past the 109 has always been busy, mainly with business people, travelling on to other destinations in the US. The new times will not work for the majority of these people and I can see the flights being fairly empty. I did come back from ATL a few years ago when bad weather led to the cancellation of most flights into ATL and the load factor that night was 20% and that included a number of us who had been delayed the previous day. I did write to Mr Weiss about this but did not receive a reply.

My wife and I love VS and don't want to go elsewhere, if there is any other way, and may decide against a trip next year. The first time in 14 years.
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