Virgin Atlantic is to suspend services to Tokyo, Cape Town, Mumbai and Vancouver in a plan to grow profitability by 2018.
A series of other measures are being introduced, concentrating on more transatlantic services from Heathrow next year.
The airline will continue a presence in South Africa through its Johannesburg service, in India through its Delhi service, as well as flights to other destinations in Asia, Africa, Caribbean and the Middle East.
Chief executive Craig Kreeger said: “Our ambition is to be profitable for the long term, earn competitive returns, and invest those into providing the very best experience for our customers on the routes they most want to fly.
“Transatlantic flying has always been at the heart of our network and our most financially successful region.
“Today’s announcement allows us to play to our strengths and focus our network on routes between the UK and US, as well as other critical global destinations that are most important to our customers.
“We are confident that with this strengthened network, our new aircraft and our welcoming people delivering unrivalled service, we have all the right ingredients to achieve long-term success.”
The network changes will deliver up to five new daily transatlantic flights and see more than 500 more Virgin Atlantic flights operate in summer 2015 compared to this year
The proposed changes include:
- A new daily service from Heathrow to Detroit
- An additional daily service from Heathrow to New York, JFK
- An additional daily service from Heathrow to Los Angeles
- An additional daily service during the summer from Heathrow to Atlanta
- An additional summer service from Heathrow to San Francisco flying five times a week
- An additional daily service during the winter from Heathrow to Miami
- A transfer of operations with joint venture partner Delta Air Lines that will see Virgin Atlantic fly a daily service between Manchester and Atlanta and Delta fly one of Virgin Atlantic’s existing Heathrow to Newark services
- Delta will launch a new daily service between Manchester and New York JFK in summer 2015.
The focus on transatlantic means:
- A withdrawal of operations to Tokyo Narita with the final flight from London to Narita on January 31, 2015 and the final flight from Narita to London on February 1, 2015.
- A withdrawal of operations to Mumbai with the final flight from London to Mumbai on January 31, 2015 and the final flight from Mumbai to London on February 1, 2015.
- The summer seasonal service from Heathrow to Vancouver will not return after this season’s flying programme is completed on October 11.
- The winter seasonal service to Cape Town will operate as planned in winter 2014/15 but will not be renewed the following winter. The final flight from London to Cape Town will be on April 26, 2015 and the final flight from Cape Town to London on April 27.
A statement from the airline said: “Virgin Atlantic would like to thank its customers and staff in for their loyalty and commitment to our services. In the future if Heathrow gains its long overdue expansion, Virgin Atlantic would love to re-enter Tokyo, Cape Town, Mumbai and Vancouver.”
The imminent arrival of Virgin Atlantic’s first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner will continue a fleet modernisation programme of over £2 billion that will give it one of the youngest fleets in the world.