Virgin Nigeria First Long Haul Flight

Hey Guys, Not too sure if you know but VKs first long haul flight is going to be on the 04 July its going to be a LOS-LHR-LOS flight using G-VBUS. Flight Numbers are VK280 and VK281.

G-VBUS will be handed over to VK in the Autum until then it be be operating the VK LOS-LHR-LOS flight twice a week and on other days will be operating VS flights to DEL,BOM,SHA.

Virgin Nigeria services from London to Lagos will operate as flight number VK280 and flights from Lagos to London will operate as the VK281.


Virgin Atlantic flights VS 651/652 will operate as normal.

Virgin Nigeria will not be taking over the Virgin Atlantic Services

The A340-300 aircraft is in Virgin Nigeria livery, operated by Virgin Atlantic flight deck and crew wearing a mix of red & green uniforms.

Passengers travelling on Virgin Nigeria flights from LHR will check in at dedicated Virgin Nigeria desks situated within Virgin Atlantic's check in area.

Virgin Nigeria will offer a three class service: Economy, Premium Economy and Business Class.

This aircraft is fitted with Arcadia IFE system and Virgin Nigeria branding will appear on items such as headrest covers & menus.


{mcuth: moved to Virgin Nigeria forum}

[preiffer]

VS have actually put a heading up on the Press Releases page. Unfortunately, the link doesn't yet work, and there's a slight spelling mistake...

VIRGIN NIGERIA OPENS FOR BUSINESS AND LAUNCHES WITH LAGOS - LONDON HEATHROE SERVICE - 13 JUNE 2005


Guessing it'll be fixed soon!

So let me get this straight:

From July 4th there will be two daily Virgin Services to LOS twice a week. one operated by VK and one by VS- is this correct?

Once the aircraft is handed over- where else will she fly? Have VK started proper services with the 320 yet?

Will the VK crews working on LHR-LOS also work on the Indian Routes on days off?

Here is the first pic of the long haul plane: http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=8 ... OfYest=yes

Got Livery got changed in Bristol, and it's a A340-300.
I wonder if it's a old one, with arcadia?

EDIT: Didn't read properly above about IFE System. [:I]

Its G-VBUS with the old arcadia. There wont be 2 VS flights from the 04th july. There will be one VS and one VK. 2 seperate arilines just like when Virgin Express flew form LHR

[preiffer]

Seems they've fixed the Press Release Link, spelling 'n all! :D

Virgin Nigeria's inaugural flight VK281 will operate from Lagos Murtala Muhammed International Airport to Terminal 3 at London Heathrow Airport. The first flight from London Heathrow to Lagos VK280 will be on Monday 4 July 2005. It will begin with weekly flights for two weeks and thereafter fly three times weekly, operated with an Airbus 340-300 in a three-class configurations (187 Economy class, 28 Premium Economy class and 40 Business Class).

any idea how the loads are doing then ?

News from VK Lagos employees report the following load factors:

Lagos-London-Lagos "very good loads"
Lagos-Abuja "low, in the range of 20-30 pax on each A320"
Abuja-Lagos "Medium, about 50-70 pax"
Lagos-Port Harcourt "low"
Port Harcourt-Lagos "Medium"

The source speculated on the reason of low traffic on outbound domestic runs as local pax are not used to the idea of using the international terminal for domestic flights.

Good luck to VK as it attempts to strengthen its product and market share. [y]

Word on the street is that the Nigerian Government forced VK into flying international routes sooner than it had expected if it wanted to keep it's license and starting them off when it started the domestic routes, hence the two different dates of when the first flight would go.

As for the loads...they were a bit low at first and now are picking up. I reckon by August they'll be full!

Isn't the LOS-JNB flight operating already[:?]

VS.

Originally posted by VS045
Isn't the LOS-JNB flight operating already[:?]

VS.

Yes it is!

Thanks Richard - great pic also!:D

I'd say JNB-LOS is pretty long-haul[:?]

VS.