Vegas moving to LHR

Well this is pleasing to me!

I'm a bit conflicted on the LAS route moving LGW to LHR - on the one hand a LGW departure suits me when I can pick up an UC seat in a sale or burning some miles, on the other hand if I'm doing it via an ex-EU from BRU then that's usually including BA business BRU-LHR so sometimes handy to avoid the airport change unless I'm going home overnight in between legs.

I suppose the move to LHR might lead to an aircraft change with more UC seats (again in one sense a pity as love the 14 seat 747 UC experience but on other hand it does mean less chance of a G or decent sale fares).

With the twice weekly LGW-LAS route being very seasonal on Norwegian (I don't think it restarts until end of October this year?) I suspect their prices will creep up if no VS competition on the route and BA stays at existing 3 flights per week on the LGW-LAS route .... am I remembering correctly when I say I think Norwegian originally planned the service as all year round but made it seasonal winter service after overheating aircraft on tarmac at LAS?

“Norwegian Air is making our Las Vegas routes seasonal for 2017 as the planes’ ability to take off during high-temperature periods was limited at times this past summer” Quote from them in 2016.

[Pete]

Just had this press release in:

16th May 2018

Virgin Atlantic to launch its first London Heathrow to Las Vegas service

New flight between London Heathrow and Las Vegas set to launch from 31st March 2019
Virgin Atlantic is also introducing an additional Boston service, and seasonal flights to Barbados
Virgin Atlantic has announced a brand new route between London Heathrow and Las Vegas set to launch from spring 2019. The new flights go on sale from Saturday 19th May 2018 with prices starting from £369 per person at www.virginatlantic.com

In a trio of good news for London Heathrow, Virgin Atlantic is also adding a second daily Boston service, and bringing back popular seasonal flights to Barbados – offering the only direct connection between the London hub and the Caribbean island.

The new Las Vegas flights will be operated by Boeing 787 aircraft offering a choice of 31 Upper Class seats, 35 Premium seats and 192 economy seats. The new Boston service will be operated by an Airbus A330-300 and will make 100,000 additional seats available between the East Coast and the UK. Both flights have been timed to make onward connections easier for UK and US customers.

New flights for London Heathrow:

Flights between London Heathrow and Las Vegas will launch on 31st March 2019. The flights depart London at 12:40pm, and Las Vegas at 19:05 with fares starting from £369
A second daily service between London Heathrow and Boston will launch on 31st March 2019. The flights depart London Heathrow at 20:30, and Boston at 08:30 with fares starting from £313
Seasonal flights between London Heathrow and Barbados will operate between 11th December 2018 and 19th February 2019, and fares start from £554
Shai Weiss, Chief Commercial Officer for Virgin Atlantic, said: “From spring 2019 we’re making it even easier for customers to travel from London Heathrow to Las Vegas and Boston by introducing new flights. The new services have been timed to offer convenient onward connections for UK and US customers, and feature our award winning service, a three course meal and inflight entertainment on every flight. We’re also pleased to bring back our popular seasonal service between London Heathrow and Barbados to offer even more choice for holidaymakers.”

Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye said: “Virgin Atlantic are going from strength-to-strength this year – with a second daily flight to Boston, a new flight to Las Vegas and the return of the popular Barbados service – Heathrow passengers are set to have even more choice to getaway for business or pleasure this summer.”

Virgin Atlantic is the second largest airline at London Heathrow offering direct flights to destinations across the US, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. In October the airline will also introduce a second daily service to Johannesburg.

For more information visit: www.virginatlantic.com

A “trio of good news” for LHR ... but let’s conveniently forget to mention the LAX flight that’s apparently being axed to make way for LAS!

It also doesn’t mention the closure of LGW-LAS...

[Nottingham Nick]

...................A second daily service between London Heathrow and Boston will launch on 31st March 2019. The flights depart London Heathrow at 20:30, and Boston at 08:30 with fares starting from £313............

That is interesting - not sure about a 2030 outbound - I guess it will land at Logan around 2300?, but am liking the thought of a day flight back from Boston.

Nick

[mitchja]

......also no mention about the chopping/changing/instability with schedules at MAN either

Major capacity cut on LON - LAS if they're going from 1 x LGW 747 to 1 x LHR 787 each day.

Surely it would have been mentioned in the press release if this route was a ‘move’ from LGW. Could this LHR departure be in addition to the current flight?

Major capacity cut on LON - LAS if they're going from 1 x LGW 747 to 1 x LHR 787 each day.

In economy & Premium yes, but UC capacity more than doubles and operating costs fall so the overall effect on revenue shouldn’t be too dramatic.

It's definitely a move... I checked with the press office

Terminal 3 should be fun with all the stag and hen parties

It’s definitely not operating from LGW once the LHR service starts

All great news for VS. But with BA currently half the price in CW for US East Coast... I won't be flying VS often.

Mind you, delighted with my sub £900 UC to New Orleans and San Diego, so will keep my eyes peeled for future bargains!

It’s definitely not operating from LGW once the LHR service starts

Yes it is i am flying the Gatwick - Vegas VS44 in October on the A330