AUSTIN, Texas - There's a new international carrier set to take off from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. Virgin Atlantic is launching new nonstop service between Austin and London Heathrow.
The four times a week service will launch on May 25.
It will be the airline's first new route from the U.S. since 2015.
"We are thrilled to welcome Virgin Atlantic to Austin and Central Texas," said Jacqueline Yaft, AUS Chief Executive Officer, in a news release. "This exciting new partnership helps meet our goals of continued recovery from the impacts of the pandemic and furthers our commitment to being the Gateway of Central Texas for both leisure and business travelers alike."
Flights, which will operate Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, are on sale starting Wednesday, January 12th on Virgin Atlantic's website. Return Economy fares start from $708 per person.
Flight number VS232 will depart Austin at 6:05 p.m. and arrive in London at 9:00 a.m. for a next-day arrival, with return flights departing London at 11:35 a.m. and arriving in Austin at 4:05 p.m. All times are local.
In this photo illustration a Virgin Atlantic logo is seen on a smartphone and a pc screen. (Photo Illustration by Pavlo Gonchar/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) (Pavlo Gonchar/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images / Getty Images)
The flights will operate on Virgin Atlantic's 787-9 aircraft boasting 31 Upper Class, 35 Premium, and 192 Economy Delight, Classic and Light seats. As well as flying customers, Virgin Atlantic will offer 20 tons of cargo capacity on each flight.
Officials say Austin is a key focus for Virgin Atlantic and its expanded joint venture partners, with Delta Air Lines offering connections from Austin to 10 US cities, Seattle, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, Detroit, Minneapolis, Cincinnati, Atlanta, Raleigh Durham, JFK.
Another airline, KLM, is launching three times weekly services from Austin to Amsterdam on March 28, 2022, which officials say will help offer even more choices for customers on both sides of the Atlantic to connect between the US and Europe.
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