Virgin Atlantic is witnessing a strong growth in India and is evaluating new destinations in the country, airline’s Chief Commercial Officer Juha Järvinen said on Thursday.

The UK-based airline launched a new service from London Heathrow to Bengaluru in March and is adding a second daily flight to Mumbai from October-end. It also serves Delhi with two daily flights.

Järvinen said that demand from India remains strong with its London-India flights recording passenger load of 90 per cent. Yields are also holding steady despite increased competition. 

Competitors’ plan of action

While Air India has introduced its Airbus A350 that will ply between Delhi and London, Qatar Airways is increasing the frequency of flights to the UK.

Virgin Atlantic, however, remains optimistic about its growth plans buoyed by demand for leisure and business travel from India. The airline has seen 250 per cent increase in demand for its premium cabins and is seeing opportunities in cargo, with companies shifting their manufacturing base outside China.

“By 2030, we will add two more destinations in India,” he said. One new route could even be announced next year and the airline is evaluating various potential destinations, including Hyderabad.

Virgin Atlantic, founded by billionaire Richard Branson, entered the Indian market nearly 25 years ago. However, it was only in 2018 that the airline took a strategic bet on India upping its operations.

India is the third largest market for Virgin Atlanic, after UK and the US. Currently, 60 per cent of its passengers from Bengaluru travel onward London especially to the US.

The airline expects the share of onward or transit passengers to go up with the second daily Mumbai flight and launch of a new service to Toronto next March.

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