Virgin Atlantic has announced the introduction of a new service, providing daily flights to / from Brussels from London Heathrow. Each flight will offer a substantial cargo capacity of up to 50 tonnes, focusing on time-sensitive shipments including perishables and pharmaceuticals.
This air route provides a faster alternative to current truck-based transportation between Heathrow Airport and European hubs.
The dedicated cargo service deviates from the airline’s traditional passenger-focused business model, marking a significant operational shift.
The airline currently operates cargo services only alongside passenger flights, except during the pandemic period. The airline has a fleet of 44 widebody aircraft, which includes 17 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, 12 Airbus A350-1000, eight A330-300, and seven A330-900.
Alexandra Herdman, Senior Policy Manager at Logistics UK commented: "Air freight plays a key role in the nation’s “just in time” supply chain, delivering high value, time-critical goods that industry and consumers rely on, and which drive much-needed economic activity, and it is good to see Virgin Atlantic adapting its operations to include more freight services.”
“This is welcome news following the disappointing announcement of £1.1 billion investment in Stansted Airport which did not include any provision for extra freight operations and signalled a missed opportunity for the logistics sector and the economy as a whole.
“Our members are urging government to rethink how investments are made to ensure that air freight can continue to expand and grow across the UK, for the benefit of all.”
Chief Commercial Officer Juha Jarvinen highlighted Virgin Atlantic’s previous experience serving Brussels during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The airline’s familiarity with the route strengthens its ability to facilitate efficient cargo movement between Brussels, the wider European region, and Virgin Atlantic’s extensive network via London Heathrow.
