Virgin Atlantic suspends flights from mainland China – AeroTime

Boeing 787-9 / Shutterstock

Virgin Atlantic has announced that it will discontinue its only route to mainland China at the end of the 2024 summer season, marking the end of a 25-year operation.

The airline will cancel its only connection between London Heathrow (LHR) and Shanghai Pudong International (PVG); the last flight will depart on October 25, 2024. The route is currently served by Boeing 787-9 aircraft.

“Significant challenges and complexities on this route have contributed to the commercial decision to discontinue flights to Shanghai,” a Virgin Atlantic spokesperson told Bloomberg.

Virgin Atlantic cited operating costs and geopolitical tensions, particularly the impossibility of flying over Russia, as the main reasons for discontinuing the route. Following the Russian invasion, the European Council imposed sanctions against Russia, banning Russian airlines from accessing airports in the United States and flying over European Union (EU) airspace.

Flight times from London to Shanghai have been extended by one hour, while the return flight will take around two hours longer. The airline said the change requires additional time for aircraft and crew, resulting in higher operating costs.

Meanwhile, Chinese airlines continued to use Russian airspace to gain a competitive advantage on Europe-Asia routes.

Virgin Atlantic signed a codeshare agreement with China Eastern back in January 2024, giving travelers easy access to services between the UK and East Asia connecting London Heathrow (LHR) and Shanghai Pudong International (PVG).