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Virgin Atlantic London to Toronto
Service
Over $200 million in
benefits to Toronto
 Sir
Richard Branson, Chairman of Virgin Atlantic
Airways has announced that the airline will launch
nonstop scheduled services between London and
Toronto from the summer of 2001. Speaking in
Toronto, the Chairman said: "It's long been my
ambition to fly to Toronto, and I am thrilled to be
able to announce our plans to launch a daily
service between London, Gatwick and Toronto from
next summer. "London-Toronto is a hugely popular
route and completes Virgin's presence on all top
ten longhaul routes out of London. We estimate that
the Virgin Atlantic service will provide an annual
economic benefit to Toronto to of more than $200
million Canadian in increased jobs, trade and
tourism.
 I
look forward to announcing some competitive fares
in the New Year, but the biggest difference
passengers on this route will notice is the
superior quality of our product. All our passengers
will enjoy their own seat back TV screen, with a
choice of up to 41 channels of films, drama, sports
and games. The business passenger will enjoy a
range of innovations, including complimentary
limousines at both ends of each journey, stand up
bars in the Upper Class cabin and in-flight
manicures and massages."
Last year 1.3 million
passengers traveled between London and Toronto
(262,000 of whom travelled to or from Gatwick)
making Toronto the fourth biggest longhaul route
out of London. A launch fare will be available from
January 2001. Daily flights will operate between
Gatwick and Toronto's Lester B. Person
International Airport, using a Boeing 747 aircraft.
This will be configured with 28 Upper Class seats,
326 Premium Economy and 358 in Economy.
Above Photo: Sir
Richard Branson, Chairman of Virgin Atlantic
Airways, arrived in Toronto to launch a daily
non-stop flight service between Toronto and London.
While in the city, Sir Richard laced up his skates
and joinerd the Etibicoke Dolphins girls'hockey
teacm for his first try out at Canada's favourite
sport. Photos by Michael Dubule.
There is a larger market for
leisure passengers on the route, and Virgin
Atlantic's sister company Virgin Holidays will be
offering a full holiday program. Holiday options
include Toronto as a city destination in its own
right, as well as a starting point for coach tours
and fly-drive holidays to other attractions such as
Niagara Falls. Virgin Vacations will also be
offering Canadian tourists a range of holiday
packages from Toronto to London and the rest of the
UK.
Sir Richard also commented
on the Canadian aviation market: "Since its
takeover of Canadian Airlines, Air Canada now holds
a hugely dominant position in the Canadian aviation
market, with around 80 per cent of domestic flights
and the majority of scheduled services between
Toronto and London. We are relying on regulations
to protect the interests of customers by keeping a
close watch on Air Canada's behavior, particularly
in setting the rates for connecting fares onward
from Toronto."
Finally the Chairman
highlighted the potential Canada holds for other
Virgin developments. " Virgin Atlantic is often the
platform for other Virgin companies and I hope that
today's announcement is the first of many from the
Virgin Group. We have a successful Mega store in
Vancouver and are looking to open more in Canada in
the near future. We're also actively considering
the potential for other new ventures in areas such
as mobile telephony."
He also spoke of rail
travel: "Virgin Rail in the UK has already
developed a fantastic relationship with leading
Canadian conglomerate Bombardier, having awarded
the company its biggest European train contract
with a $2 billion (Canadian) deal for the
construction of 789 high speed trains and their
maintenance until 2012. With this happy precedent,
I'm sure our experience in operating this hugely
important route will be a rewarding
one."
For more information please
contact the Virgin Atlantic Press Office at
011-44-1 www.virgin.com293
747 373, or visit the Virgin Atlantic
website
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