Virgin Atlantic Cuts Flights to China

The airline has been operating in the market since 1999.

A Virgin Atlantic Airbus A330 (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Noah Escobar)

[ Routes ]July 16, 2024 11:02 am ET

By Ryan Ewing

Virgin Atlantic announced that it will be suspending its flights between London Heathrow and Shanghai from Oct. 26, 2024. This decision comes as a result of the high costs associated with avoiding Russian airspace, which has led to longer flight times and increased fuel bills.

“Significant challenges and complexities on this route have contributed to the commercial decision to suspend flying to Shanghai,” an airline spokesperson told Bloomberg in a statement.

The airline has been operating the route since 1999, and its departure from Shanghai will leave it without any nonstop services to China. The airline has already cut other routes in the Asia-Pacific region, including Hong Kong, Lahore, and Islamabad, in recent years.

Earlier this year, Virgin Atlantic also axed a high-profile route between London and Austin, citing a “persistent softening in corporate demand.”

The move is part of a broader trend among airlines, with Qantas also withdrawing from the China market due to weak demand. Despite the challenges, Virgin Atlantic still maintains a code-share partnership with China Eastern, which it signed in January.

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Ryan Ewing

Ryan founded AirlineGeeks.com back in February 2013 and has amassed considerable experience in the aviation sector. His work has been featured in several publications and news outlets, including CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Business Insider. During his time in the industry, he's worked in roles pertaining to airport/airline operations while holding a B.S. in Air Transportation Management from Arizona State University along with an MBA. Ryan has experience in several facets of the industry from behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 to interviewing airline industry executives. Ryan works for AirlineGeeks' owner FLYING Media, spearheading coverage in the commercial aviation space.

Follow Ryan

Author

Ryan Ewing

Ryan founded AirlineGeeks.com back in February 2013 and has amassed considerable experience in the aviation sector. His work has been featured in several publications and news outlets, including CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Business Insider. During his time in the industry, he's worked in roles pertaining to airport/airline operations while holding a B.S. in Air Transportation Management from Arizona State University along with an MBA. Ryan has experience in several facets of the industry from behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 to interviewing airline industry executives. Ryan works for AirlineGeeks' owner FLYING Media, spearheading coverage in the commercial aviation space.
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