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#909270 by mikethe3rd
31 Aug 2015, 17:37
Was on a flight on Sat and the CC mentioned that the DXB route will move to LGW once the terminal switch has happened. Unsure how legit but apparently it's turned into a B&S route with just the VH market.
#909271 by Neil
31 Aug 2015, 18:07
It certainly has become a very popular holiday destination so I guess there is some sense if true.
I assume it will be operated by a A330 is it does move.
#909272 by sungod
31 Aug 2015, 18:09
that'd be a shame, it's the one i used most over the years, but loads often seem to be light, i've wondered for a while if they might even drop the route

EK's 380s take local business traffic and with multiple flights are probably attractive for the non-aligned pax, plus i suspect most uk business flyers opt for BA, maybe VH plus any freight are what's keeping VS viable

i read elsewhere DL is cutting some flights to DXB for autumn/winter
#909273 by tontybear
31 Aug 2015, 18:20
Are there enough planes at LGW to make this work or will they move one from LHR?

Afterall it is basically one plane per route isn't it? With a couple of spares that fill in for maintenance days.

Would the times change? ex LHR it is 22:00. Would they want to re-open the LGW CH just for that one late flight?
#909274 by slinky09
31 Aug 2015, 18:33
It could be a day flight out, then a late return same day ... kinda makes sense to me since I would assume that many passengers are booked via VHols. If so it then frees up a slot pair at LHR ... for what I wonder?
#909400 by Kraken
02 Sep 2015, 20:27
slinky09 wrote:It could be a day flight out, then a late return same day ... kinda makes sense to me since I would assume that many passengers are booked via VHols. If so it then frees up a slot pair at LHR ... for what I wonder?

If the route is indeed predominately VHols as has been suggested, then a daytime flight out / later daytime return would make a lot more sense for Hols customers. Their hotel rooms would be ready on arrival in Dubai without having to pay for an extra night for early check-in.

Ditto for departure - request late check-out, which most hotels can oblige with for a very minimal (if any) fee & not ling until your transfer to the airport. The only killer may be the arrival time at LHR, possibly requiring an overnight stay, depending on where you live / your class of travel (i.e. if you get a CDC & live close to LHR).
#909406 by enjoyingit
02 Sep 2015, 20:47
slinky09 wrote:It could be a day flight out, then a late return same day ... kinda makes sense to me since I would assume that many passengers are booked via VHols. If so it then frees up a slot pair at LHR ... for what I wonder?

Certainly seems to make sense, but as well as freeing up a LHR slot, do they also need to buy a new slot at LGW or retire one on their current offerings?
#909517 by Fuzzy14
04 Sep 2015, 23:10
Makes sense given that many other carriers offer forward connections and Virgin with lack of airline alliance do not.

I'd do the same with Miami, move it to LGW too.
#909520 by mitchja
04 Sep 2015, 23:42
The VS service to MIA did actually op from LGW originally. Can't remember the exact date it moved, but I remember it happening as I had a flight booked and I had to rebook my domestic flights because of the move.

I did fly the VS6 MIA>LGW back in Sept 2001 a few days after 9/11, so it was after that the move took place.
#909523 by VSA330300
05 Sep 2015, 07:27
As much as i agree that DXB is predominantly a leisure route , moving it to LGW would mean loosing out on all connecting traffic from the rest of the VS/DL network at LHR .

If you have a look at fares EX DXB to the US or vice versa , VS price themselves very competitively . Some connections require an overnight stay due the time when the inbound 401 lands however they are priced very attractively so that they get much wanted feed .

EK has always ripped off DXB based passengers with extortionate fares ex DXB to Europe or the US and that is where VS have carved a niche .

The DXB rotation is meant to switch to a 787 staring Summer next year .There are no plans to base the 787 at LGW so by the looks of it the route will remain at LHR .

More so the 10 PM departure slot at LHR is worthless for any US flights . With the US focus that VS has got i don't see them growing in the East for the foreseeable future .
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