VIRGINAtlantic is to operate its inaugural flight to Shanghai as scheduled on Saturday.
The carrier feared it may have to postpone the launch after NATO accidentally bombed the Chinese embassy in Belgrade, killing four people.
But after advice from the Foreign Office, Virgin is to operate the twice weekly service from Heathrow. However, a trip for industry partners on the first flight to celebrate Virgin’s latest route has been postponed while China mourns for the people killed in the attack.
The delay in celebrations is a blow to the carrier as it battled with British Airways for the route and has spent millions of pounds advertising the flight.