Virgin Atlantic to launch flights to Pakistan in December

Dhaka: Virgin Atlantic announced to launch flights to Pakistan from London and Manchester in December this year.

The airline will operate three new routes: London Heathrow to Lahore, London Heathrow to Islamabad and Manchester to Islamabad.

The new services will go on sale in September 2020 and will boast Virgin Atlantic’s Upper Class, Premium and Economy Light, Classic and Delight offering.

The new services aim to respond to the large, fast-growing demand to visit friends and relatives from customers in the UK and the US, as well as capturing demand for business travel to the region as global economies gradually recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the airline said in a press release.

The services will offer seamless, speedy connections and a consistent long-haul onboard experience for customers travelling from North America. Connections from European destinations will also be available through codeshare and interline partners.

Virgin Atlantic will also offer a fast, efficient cargo service on these new routes. This will present new opportunities for companies looking to export and import goods such as fresh produce and textiles between prime markets in the UK and US, and Pakistan.

“Pakistan is an extremely exciting opportunity for us – it boasts one of the largest foreign-born populations in both the UK and the US and, as people start to travel to visit loved ones, we’re anticipating the demand to visit friends and relatives will increase post-COVID-19,” Juha Jarvinene, Chief Commercial Officer, Virgin Atlantic, said.

“Both Lahore and Islamabad are popular year-round destinations and we look forward to welcoming travellers onboard as demand for leisure and business travel gradually increases to the region.”

Virgin Atlantic recently announced free COVID-19 insurance with all new and existing bookings until the end of March 2021.