JFK & MIA Cancellations - 24th June - 9th July

Virgin Atlantic has released an update to the trade to advise that nearly 25 flights between LHR and JFK & MIA are cancelled between 24th June and 9th July.

Does anyone know why - Is it aircraft availability or managing excess capacity due to fuel costs?

https://flywith.virginatlantic.com/gb/e ... etins.html

[mitchja]

G-VTOM is still stuck at Shannon after suffering an engine failure on the way to MJB on May 30th; so not sure if that’s anything to do with this?

G-VTOM is still stuck at Shannon after suffering an engine failure on the way to MJB on May 30th; so not sure if that’s anything to do with this?

A 3 week grounding is clearly significant. Makes you wonder if VS signed up for Rolls Royce TotalCare (i.e. "power by the hour") or not on the engines. I would have thought they would have signed up.

Could be a shortage of engines from RR still. (even with TotalCare). A friend of mine worked moving the engines around and mentioned they were stuggling with that a few months ago. I don't think VS are only one impacted by it, they published their issues with the enginer throughout 2025 after all. It's just not been published as much by the airlines in 2026, possibly due to contracts.

It's telling that GE have 55% of the new engine market now on the 787.

Hi.
G-VTOM came back to LHR yesterday (21st June) just after 1pm.
Hopefully all fixed, The wife and I were meant to fly on this very aircraft on the 31st May to BOS but noticed
at 10pm the night before that we had an equipment change onto an A330-300 G-VWAG, After a quick google
later that night the reason became very apparent !.
Regards.
Gav.

Another batch of cancellations have been announced for 10th - 16th July for JFK, LAX and SEA:

https://flywith.virginatlantic.com/gb/e ... etins.html

I think a lot of these cancellations may have been due to a tragic accident involving one of Virgin's aircraft engineers who has sadly died after being crushed by machinery. According to the article below, the accident happened last month and the 787 involved has been taken out of service while Virgin are "in talks" (presumably investigating) with Boeing.

https://www.dailymail.com/news/article- ... throw.html