PRESS RELEASE
31 May 2023
ISLAND HOPPING: VIRGIN ATLANTIC INTRODUCES CARIBBEAN INTER-ISLAND FLYING AND INCREASES INTERNATIONAL CAPACITY, CEMENTING ITS POSITION AS THE NUMBER ONE AIRLINE SERVING THE REGION
- Inter-island flights will operate from Barbados to Grenada and St Vincent
- St Vincent and The Grenadines services to London Heathrow will also increase to three times weekly in the winter season
- The airline’s eighth Caribbean destination from Turks and Caicos to London Heathrow will launch in November
Virgin Atlantic has reaffirmed its commitment to the Caribbean by launching inter-island flying, making a wider variety of island destinations even more accessible. The announcement comes as the airline is set to fly from London to more destinations in the region than ever before, as well as offering over 150% more seats in its premium cabins compared to 2019.
From 14 June Virgin Atlantic will be the only UK airline allowing travellers to easily hop from Barbados to Grenada or St Vincent on its own planes, providing a reliable full service option for island hopping. The new inter-island services are set to provide both international and local customers more opportunities to explore the Caribbean and each island’s unique personality.
Virgin Atlantic’s inter-island flying will provide the best-in-class experience for domestic Caribbean travel. Operating on the airline’s flagship A330-300, passengers will receive the familiar hospitality Virgin Atlantic is renowned for. With economy seat pitches of 31 inches, customers will enjoy a complimentary light snack, alongside the airline’s extensive in-flight entertainment options. Flights will operate between the islands twice a week, increasing to three times weekly from October, with services available to book from 3 June. Economy fares start from as little as $307 USD.
The move underpins Virgin Atlantic’s commitment to the Caribbean, which remains hugely popular with its leisure travellers. Seat capacity in its Upper Class and Premium cabins has increased by over 150% since 2019, indicating customers are continuing to fly in style to their sunshine breaks. From November, the airline will commence flights to its eighth Caribbean destination from London Heathrow, Turks and Caicos, providing sun seekers more Caribbean choices than ever before. This will also be complemented by an increase in flights to St Vincent and the Grenadines, which will operate thrice weekly in the winter season, with seats to St Lucia increasing by 33% since last year, reaffirming the post pandemic demand for premium, sunny getaways.
Rikke Christensen, VP Network and Alliances at Virgin Atlantic, commented;
“We know that Virgin Atlantic provides the most premium service to the Caribbean and we’re thrilled to be bolstering our offering further. Our new inter-island flying will provide transatlantic customers with increased opportunities to experience the unique characteristics of each island, as well as providing a reliable regional service for our local passengers, with the best customer experience out there.
“The Caribbean is a hugely important part of our leisure programme and is incredibly popular with our Virgin Atlantic Holidays customers. I can’t wait for even more guests to enjoy the stunning beaches, warm climate and welcoming hospitality that the Caribbean is renowned for.”
Hannah Swift, Caribbean Country Manager at Virgin Atlantic commented:
“I am incredibly excited to be able to offer our new inter-island services to both holiday makers and locally to our Caribbean customers. It's so important to be able to provide reliable, frequent services between our Caribbean countries, offering opportunities to connect with friends and family, do business and to enjoy the wide variety of experiences that we have to offer throughout the Caribbean. We can't wait to begin our services shortly and I’m excited to welcome each and every customer onboard soon.”
Virgin Atlantic’s inter island flying in the Caribbean is available in Economy class only and available to book via your Travel Advisor or virginatlantic.com. Inter-island prices start from $307 USD.
About Virgin Atlantic
Virgin Atlantic was founded by entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson in 1984, with innovation and amazing customer service at its core, with a purpose to ensure everyone can take on the world. In 2022, Virgin Atlantic was voted Britain’s only Global Five Star Airline by APEX for the sixth year running in the Official Airline Ratings. Headquartered in London, it employs more than 7,500 people worldwide, flying customers to 31 destinations across four continents. Virgin Atlantic recently continued its expansion in the US, launching new routes to Austin, Texas and Tampa, Florida.
Alongside shareholder and Joint Venture partner Delta Air Lines, Virgin Atlantic operates a leading transatlantic network, with onward connections to over 200 cities around the world. In February 2020, Air France-KLM, Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic launched an expanded Joint Venture, offering a comprehensive route network, convenient flight schedules, competitive fares and reciprocal frequent flyer benefits, including the ability to earn and redeem miles across all carriers. Virgin Atlantic joined SkyTeam in March 2023 as the global airline alliance’s first and only UK member airline, enhancing the alliance’s transatlantic network and services to and from Heathrow and Manchester Airport.
Virgin Atlantic has been pioneering sustainability leadership for more than 15 years, with a commitment to achieving 10% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) by 2030 and Net Zero by 2050. The airline operates one of the youngest and most fuel-efficient fleets in the skies and has reduced its absolute carbon emissions by 35% over the last decade. In October 2022, Virgin Atlantic welcomed the first of 16 A330-900neos to the fleet, continuing its transformation towards 100% next generation aircraft by 2027. In late 2023, Virgin Atlantic will be leading an industry consortium to deliver the first 100% SAF flight across the transatlantic, demonstrating that 100% SAF can be used safely as a drop in fuel in existing infrastructure, engines and airframes.
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