Virgin slashes out
Virgin Trains is spending £390m on a new fleet of rolling stock for its CrossCountry service over the next four years. The operator says the 78high-tech 125mph trains will improve reliability. Half of the new models will be tilting trains which will cut journey times by 20%. The CrossCountry service runs across the UK from Aberdeen to Penzance.
Technical Revision
On-line travel agency Deckchair.com will be launching a new version of the site in the next few months after sorting out its technical problems. Deckchair.com, launched in April, blamed the problems on too many people trying to access the site and the complexity of its fares. Meanwhile, co-founders Sir Bob Geldof and James Page have just bought Internet travel guide site kasbah.com
Cape Town Outcome
British Airways and Virgin Atlantic expect to be told this week which of them has been awarded new rights to serve Cape Town. The Civil Aviation Authority held a special hearing last Monday for both airlines to put their case for the extra service from Heathrow (Travel Weekly September 6). Only one extra South African service is available under a recently expanded bilateral agreement. Johannesburg is already served by BA with double-daily flights and Virgin with a daily service.
Delta Return to UK
Delta Air Lines has reached a tentative agreement with its pilots to fly the airline’s Boeing 767-400 and B777 aircraft. The 777smay be reintroduced on UK routes next summer after being taken off this winter in a dispute over pay.