VIRGINAtlantic is poised to launch daily Chicago services from Heathrow this summer.
Executive director commercial Paul Griffiths said bilateral rules have enabled Virgin to become the second UK carrier on the route. The only hurdles would be slot problems at either end of the route.
Griffiths said a date for the launch of the route had not yet been set, although May is likely. The service will be operated with an Airbus A340. The Virgin three-class service will compete with United Airlines, American Airlines, British Airways and Air India flights.
Griffiths said Virgin was also planning a daily Gatwick-New York JFK service in May to complement its codeshare flights with Continental Airlines to New York Newark. The JFK Boeing 747 flight would rival BA’s daily Gatwick service.
To prepare for the addition of the Gatwick service to its existing Heathrow-JFK flights, Virgin has moved terminals at the New York airport to give it space to install a lounge and improved facilities.
Griffiths said twice-weekly Heathrow-Shanghai flights would start on May 9 with A340s. BAis appeal against the Civil Aviation Authority’s decision to choose Virgin for the route, so a start date is dependent on its outcome.