VIRGIN Atlantic intends to
fly direct to Cape Town.
The airline announced
its plans for a vastly expanded
route network out of London
Heathrow – including Cape
Town – challenging what it
calls the International Airlines
Group’s (IAG) ‘stranglehold’
over the airport.
Expansion plans are
dependent on the third
runway at Heathrow being
constructed, and whether
the UK government reforms
the way new Heathrow slots
are allocated to enable the
creation of a second flag
carrier at the airport. If Virgin
Atlantic gets the slots it is
pursuing, and it can get the
aircraft it needs to service
the routes, it can move on its
expansion plans, says Mandy
Lerena, Virgin Atlantic’s
commercial manager for
South Africa.
This would see Virgin
operate flights to 84 new
destinations, and would mean
lower fares and more choice
for passengers, the airline
said in a statement.
Robyn Daneel-Spicer,
director of Sure Stellenbosch
Travel, says she would be
elated if a second carrier
were to service the
London – Cape Town route
directly. “My clients complain
all the time about British
Airways’ product on this route,
saying the planes are old, the
screens are small and of poor
quality, and the chairs are
uncomfortable,” she says.
Cape Town Air Access met
with Virgin Atlantic at the
World Routes conference
in Adelaide, Australia in
September, but no firm
commitment had been
made, says project manager
David King. In July at the
Southern Africa Tourism
Services Association (Satsa)
conference in Durban, Wesgro
announced it was in advanced
talks with Virgin Atlantic to
introduce flights to Cape Town.
However, the association
later corrected the statement,
saying there were no formal
talks between Cape Town Air
Access and the airline.
IAG, which owns British
Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia and
other airlines, currently holds
around 55% of Heathrow
slots. Joint venture partners
Virgin, Delta and Air France
KLM hold less than 10%
between them.
