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| Virgin rolls out new domestic services while awaiting transatlantic green light | Virgin rolls out new domestic services while awaiting transatlantic green light |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| Virgin Atlantic will complete its raft of new domestic services on Tuesday with the first flights linking Heathrow and Aberdeen. | Virgin Atlantic will complete its raft of new domestic services on Tuesday with the first flights linking Heathrow and Aberdeen. |
| With losses expected to exceed £125m this year, topping last year's £80m deficit, Virgin is looking to modify its model. Its new "Little Red" services to Aberdeen, alongside the Edinburgh and Manchester routes it has started flying in the past week, are primarily designed to feed more connecting British passengers into its long-haul network. | |
| Seat sales for the first week of Manchester flights were said to be low but in line with expectations. | Seat sales for the first week of Manchester flights were said to be low but in line with expectations. |
| Much more will ride on the airline's transatlantic joint venture with Delta, which still awaits clearance. Virgin is to file for anti-trust immunity within the next two weeks to the US department of transport to ensure the plans can go ahead. The airlines must also wait for approval from the European competition authorities and the US department of justice for the deal, which will see Delta take a 49% stake in Sir Richard Branson's airline. | |
| The Delta joint venture, which will build on codesharing and reciprocal customer loyalty programmes, should see the airlines' market share of the lucrative London-New York route approach that of rivals British Airways and American Airlines, who operate a similar partnership. | The Delta joint venture, which will build on codesharing and reciprocal customer loyalty programmes, should see the airlines' market share of the lucrative London-New York route approach that of rivals British Airways and American Airlines, who operate a similar partnership. |
| Virgin has also been looking at joining an airline alliance during a prolonged harsh business environment for traditional airlines, and is understood to be actively considering joining SkyTeam, which includes Delta. New chief executive Craig Kreeger – hired from American Airlines – has hinted at probable job cuts as he seeks to turn the airline's losses around. | Virgin has also been looking at joining an airline alliance during a prolonged harsh business environment for traditional airlines, and is understood to be actively considering joining SkyTeam, which includes Delta. New chief executive Craig Kreeger – hired from American Airlines – has hinted at probable job cuts as he seeks to turn the airline's losses around. |
| Branson will join Kreeger in Edinburgh on Monday to mark the official launch of their Scottish services. There will be six return flights daily from the Scottish capital to Heathrow, three from Aberdeen. | Branson will join Kreeger in Edinburgh on Monday to mark the official launch of their Scottish services. There will be six return flights daily from the Scottish capital to Heathrow, three from Aberdeen. |