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Speaking on the launch of the Mumbai-New York
launch, the President of Virgin Atlantic, Sir
Richard Branson, said, “Given the importance
of both of our Indian markets we are introducing
our newest aircraft on flights from India which
represents hundreds of millions of pounds of investment.
The key market for the airline will be business
travellers, passengers visiting friends and family
and leisure travellers which represent 80 per
cent of the 300,000 plus passengers the British
airline will initially carry each year to and
from India.”
The two new A330 aircraft with its latest Upper
Class product to both Mumbai and Delhi represents
a record product investment in the region for
the airline. Mumbai launch also signifies the
airline’s biggest connectivity offering and
commitment to India. The move will also create
140 new jobs across India and the UK. The restarting
of the Mumbai route will double capacity to India
for Sir Richard Branson’s airline with daily
services to both key markets and strong connectivity
to the US along with the UK.
One million people fly between Mumbai and the
UK each year, with the market increasing by 10%
in the last two years alone. With India’s
economy remaining one of the fastest growing in
the world Virgin Atlantic expects passenger numbers
to continue to rise.
With its Mumbai route launch, Virgin Atlantic
is seeking to build on record demand for travel
between Delhi, London and New York. Last year
there was a 13% increase in the airline’s
passenger numbers between Delhi and London. The
airline attributes much of the increase to more
passengers connecting via London. The airline
expects to develop this trend further with the
introduction this weekend of a new service to
New York. The latest addition to Virgin’s
schedule mean passengers can connect seamlessly
to New York along with the existing connection
to Newark from Delhi also.
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