Virgin Atlantic Airways launches direct London-Detroit flights

Virgin Atlantic Airways recently celebrated its latest venture with Delta Air Lines with great fanfare. To mark the partnership, the airline also launched direct flights to London Heathrow from Detroit.

Media reports said that Virgin Atlantic Airways started operating its new flights between London Heathrow and Detroit effective from June 1, 2015. The direct flights services will be operated daily. The airline said that it is expecting to carry nearly 155,000 passengers every year between the two cities.

Virgin Atlantic Airways first entered into partnership with Delta Air Lines in January 2014. With the expanded partnership for Detroit flights, Virgin Atlantic will now get greater access to a larger network of connecting flights in the United States that are currently operating out of Delta''s hub in Detroit.

Delta Air Lines owns a 49 percent stake in Virgin Atlantic Airways as part of its joint venture agreement. Similar percentage of stake was earlier held by Singapore Airlines. Virgin Group''s President and Founder Sir Richard Branson holds the majority 51 percent stake in Virgin Atlantic Airways.

According to the reports, Virgin Atlantic Airways will be operating flights between Detroit and London Heathrow with the help of an Airbus A330-300 aircraft. Configured in three classes, the aircraft will be offering 33 seats in business class (Upper Class), 48 seats in premium economy and 185 seats in economy class. The airline is renowned for its luxurious business class seats. The customers booking business class tickets will be offered full-size flat beds when traveling in upper class.

Virgin Atlantic Airways, alongside its partner Delta Air Lines, will be operating 39 daily flights across the Atlantic from 11 destinations in the United States, including Detroit, San Francisco, Boston and New York.