What new routes would you like VS to fly?

I just wondered what new routes you would like VS to fly, given the opportunity?

Resuming the Toronto route would be top of mine, this is a much flown route and popular with tourist and business people.

In the USA, Atlanta would open up fantastic opportunities for onward connections with a code share. One of the major cities in Texas (Houston or Dallas/Fort Worth) would also be lucrative surely? I also don't understand why Chicago is not year round? It is more flown by total passenger than Boston, Newark, Miami or San Francisco. If BA can manage to run a profitable 3x daily service, surely VS could run a year round service?

South America, Rio would be a fantastic destination and is an ever growing tourist place.

In Asia, Thailand is also popular. Beijing as well would be profitable.

I also think that VS should run more business routes from Gatwick, rather than just relying on Heathrow. Gatwick is starting to attract such flights and VS should not miss out on the chance to expand.

I've also often wondered what the appeal of Lagos and Accra are? They are anything but touristy but wouldn't strike me as that business orientated?

[Darren Wheeler]

I just wondered what new routes you would like VS to fly, given the opportunity?

Resuming the Toronto route would be top of mine, this is a much flown route and popular with tourist and business people.

Been tried pre-9/11 and was very quickly dropped afterwards.

I also think that VS should run more business routes from Gatwick, rather than just relying on Heathrow. Gatwick is starting to attract such flights and VS should not miss out on the chance to expand.

Lack of onward connections is the most obvious reason. Heathrow is too much of a hub.

I've also often wondered what the appeal of Lagos and Accra are? They are anything but touristy but wouldn't strike me as that business orientated?

Oils workers and cargo. The LOS and ACC flights are usually very full.

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[mitchja]

YYZ would be my number 1 as well (even though I did mange to fly VS there before they stopped it).

It was only dropped because it had only just started up a few weeks previously as its always easier to drop new, less established routes.

[Darren Wheeler]

Rio would be good, but can't see it until the 787's come on-line.

Ready for Rio 2016?

Rio is on the Virgin wishlist!

Chicago was always empty during the winter which is why it is summer only now

Think rio and Beijing are most likely to be the next routes

1. Fort Myers
2. tampa
3. we have small private airfield about a mile down the road, which is being extended by the new owner (joint owner of Anhueser Busch) - maybe SRB fancies the lear market ??

You have to have an understanding of yield and CASM and RASM, and alliances to partly realize why airlines fly to any destination ...so ...

In Asia, Thailand is also popular. Beijing as well would be profitable.

... is unlikely because it's a low yield route.

I've also often wondered what the appeal of Lagos and Accra are? They are anything but touristy but wouldn't strike me as that business orientated?

... are both high yield routes.

As for the others:

- Toronto is well served by BA and AC and is lower yield.
- Atlanta is a SkyTeam (Delta) hub so no connections for VS.
- Houston is a *A hub (United) so no connections for VS.
- DFW is a OneWorld hun (AA) so no connections for VS.
- ORD is empty in winter ... it may have more passengers than BOS but it also has many more daily flights and even AA flights suffer and it's an AA hub.
- Rio I believe will happen.
- Beijing will happen.

As for Gatwick, look at what BA does, while much bigger it too focuses leisure destinations at LGW.

The routes are pretty good for me but I would use Chicago in November if available, would love Toronto or the much neglected Montreal to access Vermont.
A feeder from Belfast would be ideal.
I know none of these are likely BTW

I would like to see one off the Montego bay flights call at Turks and Caicos one a week. at he moment only direct flight is with BA and naturally would prefer to use VS rather than have to go va MIA and pay for the Esta just to change panes at an airport

Isn't this a little bit academic because:

- LHR is full and VS has continually failed to add to its slot portfolio whilst others (DL/CO/EK) have expanded by buying slots. Until VS gets itself more slots, there can be no expansion.

- VS doesn't appear to have a coherent fleet strategy that will enable growth. In fact the 330's and 787's seem to be smaller capacity replacements for the 340's. Less said about the 380 the better I fear!

Isn't this a little bit academic because:

- LHR is full and VS has continually failed to add to its slot portfolio whilst others (DL/CO/EK) have expanded by buying slots. Until VS gets itself more slots, there can be no expansion.

- VS doesn't appear to have a coherent fleet strategy that will enable growth. In fact the 330's and 787's seem to be smaller capacity replacements for the 340's. Less said about the 380 the better I fear!

Albeit that VS surprised us by revealing it was sitting on three slot pairs leased to Cyprus Airlines recently ...

VS are replacing their Nairobi route with a sixth flight to NYC. Why not start a new route instead?

What about some new routes out of Scotland or Manchester

David

VS are replacing their Nairobi route with a sixth flight to NYC. Why not start a new route instead?

Establishing a new destination is more expensive - you have to sort out a ground operation, local sales and marketing, legal permits to fly, and so on. Much easier to up the frequency on an already established (and very predictable) route.

Chicago was always empty during the winter which is why it is summer only now

When i flew to ORD back in 2000, the flight was so full we ended up getting double upgraded from Economy to Upper in both directions!

So it came as a bit of a surprise when it was cancelled around a year or so later. Although as previously mentioned it was one of the newer routes at the time so easier to drop along with YYZ.

I've never flown to ORD on VS but my wife did once in November and I remember that the flights were incredibly quiet - the sort where you get a flat bed in economy!

I've never flown to ORD on VS but my wife did once in November and I remember that the flights were incredibly quiet - the sort where you get a flat bed in economy!

Yes I had a flight like that too (both ways actally) in Novemner 2000. Flight back to the UK was on Thanksgiving too.

It would be good if they create 'Virgin Airlines' and fly Europe/UK Domestic/Russian routes.

Seconded. It is a good plan for them given the feed onto their long haul routes it could provide. However as others have pointed out LHR is near full operational capacity and there are no slots going spare... No doubt something will come up though....

What about some new routes out of Scotland or Manchester..

.... a new hub for VS somewhere perhaps

Additional vote for Rio here too..in fact with the expanding markets developing in South America I am surprised that has not been jumped on sooner. In time for 2016 please VS y) y)

Montreal first and foremost, oh please SRB, then anywhere out of Birmingham Airport to save us having to go to LHR all the time

Additional vote for Rio here too..in fact with the expanding markets developing in South America I am surprised that has not been jumped on sooner. In time for 2016 please VS y) y)

And 2014 - some world footy cup type thingy happening in Brazil

[Darren Wheeler]

One place I'd like to see a route to is Seattle. Kinda fits with the rest of the west coast routing.

Would love to see VS back to Mauritius with a possible stop in Seychelles or Maldives ...

One place I'd like to see a route to is Seattle. Kinda fits with the rest of the west coast routing.

It is on their wish list! It would strike me more as a seasonal route though, rather than year round.

New Zealand would be a desired destination from a personal point of view as well.

Cairo would also fit in with the way the airline seems to be going.