VIRGINAtlantic is to launch weekly services from Heathrow to Cape Town this winter after beating off competition from British Airways to operate an extra flight.
The Civil Aviation Authority said it chose Virgin rather than BA for the extra flight, allowed under UK-South Africa bilaterals, mainly to increase competition on the route (Travel Weekly September 6).
Virgin said a launch date, possibly as soon as next month, and schedule will be disclosed this week.
BA wanted the extra flight to make its existing Cape Town schedule a daily operation.
The CAA has also given the go-ahead for Virgin to launch flights from Heathrow to Delhi and Bombay. Launch dates and schedules depend on the Indian government agreeing to a second UK carrier on the routes.
Virgin chairman Richard Branson is to meet Indian ministers to state his case in December.
Following the Cape Town fight, Virgin and BA are to meet each other again on October 25 in front of the CAA to discuss extra Shanghaiservices. Virgin wants the two additional weekly flights on offer from next summer to boost its twice-weekly schedule. BA is planning its own twice-weekly operation.