Virgin Atlantic to resume service, return to the US in July; flyers to get 'Health Packs'
Virgin Atlantic has unveiled its plans for a return to service. Beginning in late July, Virgin will resume flying from its London Heathrow base five destinations.
Beginning on July 20, the airline will fly from London Heathrow (LHR) to Orlando (MCO) and Hong Kong (HKG). Then, on July 21, Virgin will fly from LHR to Shanghai (PVG), New York (JFK) and Los Angeles (LAX).
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The airline said in a statement that it will announce additional destinations in the next two weeks for the month of August.
"As the Covid-19 crisis stabilises and demand slowly returns, we are looking forward to welcoming our customers back onboard and flying them safely to their favourite destinations," Virgin Chief Commercial Officer Juha Jarvinen said in a statement.
When flights resume, Virgin will operate out of London Heathrow's Terminal 2, a move from its permanent home in Terminal 3, which remains closed at this time. The airline said that when Heathrow demand returns, Terminal 3 will be able to reopen. However, a timeline for that remains unclear.
In addition to announcing the first passenger routes on Thursday, Virgin also unveiled new health and safety measures in place for crew and passengers alike. Like many airlines, Virgin plans to offer advanced cleaning procedures on its aircraft and in the airport.
Additionally, the airline will require that all passengers and crew wear masks when on board its aircraft. Virgin joins a growing list of European airlines that require passengers to wear masks.
For each passenger, the airline is supplying a Health Pack, which will contain a medical-grade face mask, surface wipes and hand gel.
Related: BA and Virgin join growing list of European airlines asking passengers to wear face masks
When flights first resume, there will be a simplified hot food service to reduce contact between passengers and crew.
"We are carrying out health questionnaires before check in and are calling upon airport and health authorities to put temperature checks in place as part of a multi layered, end-to-end health screen," Virgin Chief Customer Officer Corneel Koster said in a statement.
Last week, the airline said that the U.K.'s mandatory 14-day self-isolation for arriving passengers would force it to delay the resumption of its services until early August. However, with Thursday's announcement that it's returning to service as of the end of July, those plans appear to have changed.
The 14-day quarantine for all arriving travelers into the U.K. takes effect as of June 8. Home Secretary Priti Patel confirmed this week that the policy will be revised every three weeks. In future interactions, we could see the introduction of "air bridges", which would rule passengers from some low-risk countries exempt from the quarantine.
Virgin Atlantic has been open about its financial struggle during the coronavirus pandemic. In May, Virgin Atlantic founder Sir Richard Branson said that the airline would collapse without government support.
Throughout the crisis, it's continued to operate cargo flights to carry necessary medical equipment to and from the U.K. Additionally, it operated some essential repatriation flights, and at one point, it suspended passenger operations altogether.
Related: Left without flyers, airlines are using passenger jets for cargo
The airline said that it plans to continue to operate cargo-only flights in addition to the passenger flights that will resume in late July.
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5X | Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year. |
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Why We Chose It
Sometimes it's worth a large investment to reap the benefits of a great credit card. That's exactly the case with the Amex Platinum card. In exchange for the annual fee, you'll unlock access to the Amex Membership Rewards program that let you access airline and hotel transfer partners, along with new lifestyle and travel credits. This card is also incredibly rewarding for travel purchases, helping you rack up a ton of Membership Rewards points for your next award trip.Pros
- The current welcome offer on this card is quite lucrative. TPG values it at $1,600.
- This card comes with a long list of benefits, including access to Centurion Lounges, complimentary elite status with Hilton and Marriott, at least $500 in assorted annual statement credits and so much more. (Enrollment required for select benefits.)
- The Amex Platinum comes with access to a premium concierge service that can help you with everything from booking hard-to-get reservations to finding destination guides to help you plan out your next getaway.
Cons
- The high annual fee is only worth it if you’re taking full advantage of the card’s benefits. Seldom travelers may not get enough value to warrant the cost.
- Outside of the current welcome bonus, you’re only earning higher rewards on specific airfare and hotel purchases, so it’s not a great card for other spending categories.
- The annual airline fee statement credit can be complicated to take advantage of compared to the broader travel credits offered by competing premium cards.
- Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
- $200 Hotel Credit: Get $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card®.
- $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 in statement credits each month when you pay for eligible purchases with the Platinum Card® at your choice of one or more of the following providers: Peacock, Audible, SiriusXM, The New York Times, and other participating providers. Enrollment required.
- $155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card. Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax.
- American Express has expanded The Centurion® Network to include 40+ Centurion Lounge and Studio locations worldwide. Now there are even more places your Platinum Card® can get you complimentary entry and exclusive perks.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Card.
- $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only.
- $300 Equinox Credit: Get up to $300 back each year on an Equinox+ subscription, or any Equinox club memberships when you pay with your Platinum Card. Enrollment required. Learn more.
- $189 CLEAR® Credit: Breeze through security with CLEAR® Plus at 45+ airports nationwide and get up to $189 back per year on your membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card.
- $695 annual fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees