Virgin Boosts Frequencies Out of Africa

Posted 17/05/2011

Virgin Atlantic Airways is to boost capacity on two of its African routes for set periods this summer, according to the latest schedule data from the UK carrier.  On its London Heathrow – Accra route a fourth weekly flight will be introduced between June 20 and September 13, while from June 24 to July 14 and July 22 to September 10 an Airbus A340-600 will replace a smaller -300 variant on two of the airline’s daily London Heathrow – Nairobi rotations.

Virgin Atlantic accounts for approximately 22 per cent of the traffic between London Heathrow and Accra, a market of an estimated 181,000 O&D travellers, with average fares considerably cheaper than market leader British Airways.  On the link to the Kenyan capital it holds the greatest share of the traffic, handling around 94,000 O&D passengers last year (32 per cent), followed closely by Kenya Airways (29 per cent) and British Airways (28 per cent).

Schedule:

London Heathrow – Accra
VS657 LHR2220 – 0415+1ACC 343 x236
VS658 ACC0850 – 1640LHR 343 1 
VS658 ACC1010 – 1800LHR 343 56
VS658 ACC1015 – 1805LHR 343 2  JUN 20 – SEP 13

London Heathrow – Nairobi
VS671 LHR2100 – 0750+1NBO 346 56  JUN 24 – JUL 14, JUL 22 – SEP 10
VS671 LHR2100 – 0750+1NBO 343 x56
VS672 NBO0950 – 1640LHR 343 x67
VS672 NBO0950 – 1640LHR 346 67  JUN 25 – JUL 15, JUL 23 – SEP 11

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