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Virgin Atlantic Ruby anniversary and new route
Forty years ago, a £99 ticket from London to Newark on a second hand 747 marked the beginnings of Virgin Atlantic. 21 million glasses of champagne, 7,000 cabin crew and five uniform designs later, Virgin Atlantic is celebrating its Ruby Anniversary.
Sir Richard Branson founded Virgin Atlantic with a vision to shake up the aviation industry by offering something different to challenge the status quo that existed.
Virgin Atlantic has also announced its return to Canada. The airline’s first route to the country in more than a decade will start next summer, as it launches direct flights between London Heathrow and Toronto Pearson International Airport. The daily service will launch on 30 March, 2025 with fares starting from £490 per person in economy. Hopefully, the increased capacity and competition will contribute to fares beginning to subside.
Flights will operate a mix of aircraft on the route including the A330-900neo, the latest addition to its fleet. You can read our review of the standard Upper Class seat here. The A330neo features the airline’s Retreat Suite, onboard social space, wireless charging, and stylish design touches.
In addition, Virgin Atlantic is announcing its expanded codeshare partnership with Canadian carrier WestJet, which is slated for October this year. Benefits for both airlines’ frequent flyers are expected to follow in 2025.
This year, Virgin Atlantic has received three new state of the art aircraft, two Airbus A350s, from a total of 13 and one Airbus 330neo, from an order of up to 16, with the most recent, Ruby Rebel (G-VSRB), named in homage to Sir Richard Branson and his rebellious spirit. A further three Airbus A330neo’s will join later this year.
Sir Richard Branson, Founder, Virgin Atlantic, commented;
“When starting Virgin Atlantic 40 years ago, I went against everyone’s advice. Friends, experts, the press, the pundits – and on paper, they were right. Back then, travelling by plane wasn’t a fun experience, but airlines were allowed to get away with it as no real competition existed. I realised then that there was a gap to give passengers a great experience – and I love a challenge. The result was our ruby red airline, that shook up aviation.
“Since then, there have been many occasions where people told me we’d fail. But we kept the same belief then that I had in 1984 – if you can create something that’s much better than what everybody else is offering, then you have at least a chance of succeeding.
“From 1984 to 2024, it’s our people who make me the proudest. They are much more than just a workforce; they are what makes Virgin Atlantic special. They’re the red thread that keeps us all together and I know they will continue to look after our customers for the next 40 years and beyond.”
Shai Weiss, CEO, Virgin Atlantic, commented;
“Richard is the original entrepreneur, who brought a pioneering new approach to air travel in 1984, bringing much-needed competition to the skies. 40 years later and while we have evolved from a challenger to a leader, the same things set us apart. Today we’re looking ahead to the future and the red thread we’ll carry forward. Our people are our superpower, and their ruby red spirit is stronger than ever. Our customers mean the world to us and we exist to make them smile, it’s that simple. We’ll continue to make aviation a better place for everyone, as intended since day one.
Luxury hotel and cruise offers
Shangri-La Singapore 25% off
Enjoy 25% savings when you book a minimum 3-night stay in selected rooms and suites at Shangri-La Singapore. Book by 30 September 2024, for stays applicable from now until 31 January 2025. The offer applies to the Horizon Club and Valley Wing rooms, which are both types of club rooms. The Valley Wing has an old-fashioned elegance with butlers to serve your afternoon and champagne, etc. The Horizon Wing is more like a typical Shangri La club wing. The hotel is situated in the heart of the action just off Orchard Road in Singapore.
This offer can be booked through GTC and includes the following free perks:
- Upgrade at time of booking, based on availability
- Hotel credit USD $100
- Breakfast for two
- Early check-in/late check-out based on availability
Virgin Voyages
If you didn’t have enough points for the recent Virgin cruise points offers, there are some rather good cruise offers from them at the moment.
- a 70% discount for a second sailor on eligible voyages in 2024, 2025, and 2026,
- a balcony upgrade for eligible voyages for select cabins and cruises in 2024 on the following ships:
- Valiant Lady: 7-June-2024 through 15-December-2024
- Scarlet Lady: 9-June-2024 through 14-December-2024
- Resilient Lady: 9-June-2024 through 14-December-2024
You can also book these offers via our partners GTC.
