July 20th Virgin Atlantic starting up from LHR
 

VS are go

MCO, JFK and LAX Shanghai and Hong Kong to start with

Must wear Masks
*
and a restricted food and drinks menu (for your safety and not to cheapen the product obvs!)

Is this a sign of US travel restrictions being eased? I can't believe MCO is business/cargo destination.

I’m hoping so, was having a conversation with someone earlier about UK quarantine, as much as i hate it and hope it wont last, in the short term may give the US the reassurance that the UK are being cautious enough to allow the travel ban to be lifted. Maybe I’m being too optimistic, but surely they’ve had conversations or starting up would be futile.

Wondering the same. Perhaps they also have info that Schengen countries are gonna lift it for US travellers?

The 2 week quarentaine? Nobody takes that serious. They dont even have police/staff to keep regular safety let alone go to properties/hotels etc to see if people are in quarentaine. What if your sleeping when they ringing? Or in the garden and dont hear doorbell? So many loops lol. I am going back to the UK next week and def not gonna be sitting inside for 2 weeks straight cause the UK gov comes randomly with some wild plan 4 months late.

I couldn’t agree more, the policy has more holes than Swiss cheese. I’d also ignore it.
However, if people are put off booking because of it, airlines wont fill planes enough to fly, thats the issue currently.

MCO relaunch
 

Suspect MCO has been launched, as whilst the flights are not cash positive (from likely forecasted loads) they help a lot with liquidity which given VS's financial situation, combined with the low oil price and planes sitting on the ground are worth running. Remember if the LON-MCO flights are running; VS claims there is no obligation to refund customers cancelling by choice in their eyes. VS during the summer peak op'd 3x LGW-MCO services with a 747. Rebook all these passengers onto a single 787; you may get an OK load turn up (Particuarly with some bookings from the Manchester load transferring down) but save a very good amount of extra liquidity from leaving the airline and you may find its in VS's financial interest to start the service up again.

VS have told the travel trade that refunds on this route will be in line with ticket rules, so non refundable tickets will only qualify for rebooking on this route and not a cash refund. Sure you will get some pax that argue for a refund due to the airport change, but in all odds, you'll probably save off 500 pax (on non-refundable tkts) a day that can't be borthered fighting after a while & will rebook for a later date - keeping the revenue within the airline.

Could all be wrong about this. All views from an 'armchair CEO'. Working in the infrastructure PE world so could get their motives completely wrong here. But this is the FAQ that I found:


​​
Your Customer is due to travel to Orlando on 20th July but does not want to go. Can they have a refund?

How does the return of flights to the US square with the current blanket ban on visitors / nationals from the UK? Are these repatriation flights only, or have I misunderstood?

There we go. Hope on the horizon! https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/eus-...y-july/1866566

SO
 

With restrictions both ways, where are the passengers coming from?

Obviously waiting for those restrictions to be lifted.

Wow, not quite sure how to respond to this. I do hope you are both kidding. If not, then you are both crass and selfish to indicate that you would happily put others at risk unnecessarily.

Whilst the policy is far from perfect, if you do ignore it, I sincerely hope that you do not end up causing the death of others through your wilful disregard of your civic duty.

+1 Disgustingly selfish and immoral behaviour.

Following....

Flying the A350 in Upper Class LHR - LAX in August, then a few hours layover, then onward on DL. (essential travel)

Would be great to hear experiences from anyone flying with VS these next couple of weeks.