Is VS gearing up for a new LHR route?

Looking at the latest schedule update from Airline Route Network:

SFO confirmed x7 weekly from x10 last year
VS23/24 reducing to x5 weekly for some periods (April / May and October)
Accra moving down to x4 weekly
Vancouver back but only x3 weekly as before

This nearly adds up to one less slot used from last year - perhaps they're an aircraft down or perhaps that means something new?

I'm hoping they add Singapore. y)

Kuala Lumpur would be great too, but I think Singapore is more likely.

Vancouver back but only x3 weekly as before

YVR was 4 days a week |:) |:)

[Darren Wheeler]

Belfast?

Using one of their normal slots?

[Darren Wheeler]

YVR is staying 4x a week.

Tues/Wed/Thur/Sat

Probably the underwhelming option...

Manila would be useful... Let's face it, I've seen them there for maintenance before, so shouldn't be too hard to do...

The boring option is that the slot is just to make the new VS25/VS354 year round. Another morbid option is capacity discipline to reduce swelling losses.

One of the most likely new route options is Tanzania. Rumours are swirling online about Kilimanjaro and Dar es Salaam as a triangle route, but I cannot see this as launching with daily frequency.

Other proposed 787 routes include Beijing, Bangkok, Rio and Seattle, and these are all possible using the existing fleet types. However, launching any of these would require 2-3 free aircraft, and given retirements, I'm not sure that's possible.

Belfast?

Using one of their normal slots?

With Aer Lingus services to LHR/LGW becoming a VS Codeshare.... ):

I believe some juggling was also to facilitate one of the MAN flights. (ie 2 came from slots leased outm but the thurd was from there own slot pool). This is why there is no second SFO for example - even though VS can fill a second SFO easily over summer.

Beijing would be good but probably will never happen, passenger numbers dropping on Shanghai route --- easy to ugrade though!!

Beijing, Bangkok, Rio and Seattle.

VS has been pontificating over launching these routes for years.

Belfast?

Using one of their normal slots?

With Aer Lingus services to LHR/LGW becoming a VS Codeshare.... ):

Anything that would get me VS miles/tps to belfast works for me. Plus the BA winter schedule to BHD sucks, 6.50 or 9.50am out (or later), neither great options compared with the far more civilised 8.20 in summer. Why must they mess around so much...