Virgin challenges BA with domestic flights

Chief executive Steve Ridgway said the move was a response to the takeover of bmi by British Airways’ parent company rather than Virgin Trains’ loss of the railway franchise between the two cities.

Flights between the North West and Heathrow will begin next spring using leased aircraft, Mr Ridgway said.

“Since bmi was swallowed up by British Airways, the competition that existed on domestic routes and European routes has disappeared,” he said.

“Virgin Atlantic has obviously provided great competition over the years internationally on the long-haul routes and this is about redressing that as part of the process of making sure that BA doesn’t become a monopolist on all the routes bmi used to fly.”

Mr Ridgway insisted yesterday that air travel was a “different market” from railway services between Manchester and London Euston.

“With bmi disappearing off Manchester-London Heathrow, 650,000 passengers from Manchester that fly to Heathrow and then on to the rest of the world, to keep Manchester connected with the rest of the world, only have one choice now and that’s why Virgin Atlantic is responding to make sure that competition is preserved,” he said.

“There obviously will be some people who are flying direct to London to do business, but this is particularly about keeping Manchester and the North West connected with the rest of the world.”

The airline will operate three daily flights between Manchester and Heathrow using Airbus A319 or A320 aircraft.

About 650,000 passengers are thought to travel between London and Manchester each year.

Virgin Atlantic flies long-haul from Manchester to Barbados and Las Vegas and to Orlando in Florida.

Manchester Airports Group chief commercial officer Ken O’Toole said: “We are pleased to see Virgin Atlantic increasing their presence in Manchester and to see competition returning on the London route, as that will be to the benefit of passengers flying from our airport.”