Manchester to Delhi, Mumbai weekly flights announced by Virgin Atlantic

Leading British Airline Virgin Atlantic has announced flights between India and Manchester starting Monday, October 20. The UK city has a sizable population of people of Indian Origin and the airline will be operating flight to Delhi and Mumbai. This comes as the COVID-19 pandemic, that spread rapidly across the globe forcing countries to lockdown borders, negatively impacting air travel and airline business.

As of yet, the flights between Manchester and India will operate three times a week for Mumbai and twice a week for Delhi. As per reports, the new routes will be operated by one of the airline's newest and most fuel-efficient planes, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Virgin Atlantic will also be offering fast cargo services enabling the airline to expand into new markets.

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New route between Manchester and India

Virgin Atlantic Chief Commercial Officer Juha Jarvinen said that Indians are the largest foreign-born population in the United Kingdom and the airline assumes there will be greater demand for flights to India during the post COVID-19 period where people would want to fly back home to see their loved ones.

This is the first time that Virgin Atlantic is introducing direct flights from the North of England to India, this service will be provided in addition to the airline having a flight from London Heathrow to Mumbai and Delhi.

Read: Vistara To Operate More Flights On Delhi-London Route From Nov 21

In a statement, the airline added that with the opening up the new routes, Virgin Atlantic is attempting to capture the fast-growing demand to meet friends and family after the COVID-19 lockdown, and also the demand for business and leisure travel to the region.

Meanwhile, Vistara Airline on Thursday, October 15 stated that it plans to increase the frequency of flight between Delhi and London from November 21 onwards. The airline will operate the flight as a part of the bilateral air bubble arrangement formed between India and the UK.

(With PTI Inputs, Image: Pixabay)

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