Virgin Atlantic sees 'infinite demand' in India; to start 2nd London-Mumbaiflight in Oct

Bullish on India's growth prospects, British carrier Virgin Atlantic will start an additional daily flight connecting Mumbai and London from October 2024.

"India is thriving… there is an infinite demand," Virgin Atlantic CEO Shai Weiss said on Wednesday. Currently, the airline, which started flying to India 24 years ago, has two daily flights to London from Delhi, one each from Mumbai and Bengaluru. India is the third largest market for Virgin Atlantic after North America and the Caribbean. At a media roundtable, Weiss said the carrier will launch its second daily direct service from London to Mumbai in October 2024.

Virgin Atlantic started direct service between London and Bengaluru on March 31 and the first flight landed in the Indian city on April 1. Weiss also said the airline would look to expand its codeshare partnership with IndiGo. There is a robust demand in the Indian market, which has strengthened after the pandemic, he said. He also said that tickets are competitively priced and the airline offers superior services.