Virgin Atlantic has today returned to Terminal 3 at London’s Heathrow Airport having been based at T2 for the majority of the Covid-19 pandemic.
All its flights, together with those of joint venture partner Delta Air Lines, will once again depart from T3 which has been closed for more than a year. The airline’s Upper Class Wing, Clubhouse and Revivals lounge at T3 have also reopened.
Virgin is currently operating flights to green list destinations including Antigua, Barbados, Grenada and Israel, as well as flights to Atlanta, Boston, New York JFK, Los Angeles and Miami. Delta is operating flights to Atlanta and New York-JFK.
The US remains on England’s amber list and US entry restrictions for non-essential travellers from the UK still apply.
Customers using the Clubhouse facility can order food and drinks through a QR-code-accessed platform or via waiter service. The spa is currently closed but three Peloton bikes are a new feature.
Onboard, Virgin will reopen bars and social spaces from Monday 19 July in line with the end of most Covid safety restrictions in England being lifted. It will also reopen its New York-JFK Clubhouse on the same day.
The airline is operating 11 passenger flights and eight cargo flights on its first day back at T3.
“450 days ago I was in this terminal as airline schedules were melting away. We agreed with Heathrow it was not sustainable to keep T3 open,” said Corneel Koster, Virgin Atlantic’s chief customer and operating officer.
“Football did not quite come home but we are back home at T3. It’s a momentous day for our people and our customers. We always had T3 on standby and now is the right time to reopen. Demand is growing and T2 was getting busy. T2 was great but it was like staying at somebody else’s place.”
Koster adds: “Whilst it’s a constructive step… the government still needs to recognise the US as a ‘green’ destination. Whilst travel between the UK and US is closed, £23 million in economic value each day is restricted. We urge the UK government to move the US to the UK’s green list and for the Biden administration to repeal the 212F proclamation for UK travellers.”