Virgin Atlantic withdraws from Hong Kong

Virgin Atlantic is ending service to Hong Kong and closing its offices after 30 years in the Asian hub.

The airline suspended passenger flights to the city in December, when all flights from the UK were banned due to the pandemic.

Flights from London had been due to resume at the start of the 2023 summer schedule. 

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Several factors contributed to the decision to pull out altogether, including the closure of Russian airspace that made flight times at least an hour longer.

Virgin Australia ended its services between Melbourne, Sydney and Hong Kong in 2019, reducing the number of connecting passengers.

The decision will enable Virgin Atlantic to raise frequencies on other key routes next summer.

A spokesperson said: “After careful consideration we’ve taken the difficult decision to suspend our London Heathrow–Hong Kong services and close our Hong Kong office, after almost 30 years of proudly serving this Asian hub city. 

“Significant operational complexities due to the ongoing Russian airspace closure have contributed to the commercial decision not to resume flights in March 2023 as planned, which have already been paused since December 2021.

“Our people and customers in Hong Kong have been amazing since we first touched down at the famous Kai Tak Airport in 1994 and since then we’ve provided important connectivity between the UK and Hong Kong for thousands of customers and supported global supply chains through our cargo operations. 

“We’re sorry for the disappointment caused to our loyal customers on this route and anyone booked to travel from March 2023, will be offered a refund, voucher or the option to rebook on an alternative Virgin Atlantic route.”