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• For context, the flight currently operates daily with a Boeing 787-9, with the following schedule:
*VS250 London to Shanghai departing 12:35PM arriving 8:20AM (+1 day)
*VS251 Shanghai to London departing 11:10AM arriving 6:50PM
• This is a route that Virgin Atlantic launched back in 1999, so the company has a lot of history in the market. The airline suspended the route at the start of the pandemic, and then restarted it again as of May 2023. It’s not lasting long, though, as it’ll be gone by October 2024. Other airlines operating in this market include British Airways and China Eastern.
• This is significant, because Shanghai was Virgin Atlantic’s last destination in the Far East. The airline also used to fly to Hong Kong (HKG) and Tokyo Narita (NRT), but those routes were already terminated in the past.
"Significant challenges and complexities"
The airline cited "significant challenges and complexities" resulting from not being able to fly over Russia, leading to lengthy diversions and rising costs.
Virgin Atlantic's Shanghai to London flight takes approximately two hours longer than before, while the return leg takes approximately one hour longer, requiring additional fuel, aircraft and crew time.
Russia closed its airspace to many international carriers in 2022, in response to sanctions on Russian airlines following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Virgin Atlantic originally started its
Shanghai service in 1999, and resumed it in May 2023, following a
suspension of more than two years due to COVID pandemic.
Passengers
that have booked a Shanghai-London flight with Virgin Atlantic beyond
October 26 will be entitled to a full refund, the airline has announced.
Remaining carriers flying Shanghai-London
Chinese carriers, meanwhile, continue to fly over Russia on routes to Europe, providing them with a competitive advantage.
The Shanghai-London route will still be served by four carriers post the Virgin Atlantic exit:
1) British Airways: Pudong International - London Heathrow
2) China Eastern Airlines: Pudong International -London Heathrow
3) Air China: Pudong International - London Gatwick
4) China Eastern: Pudong International -London Gatwick
Source: That's Shanghai, One Mile at a Time
https://onemileatatime.com/news/virgin-atlantic-cancels-shanghai-flights/
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