Virgin Atlantic has celebrated the launch of its new direct route to Austin from Heathrow, which will become a daily service in April 2023 thanks to strong sales.
The carrier will serve the Texas city four times a week using Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, before becoming a daily frequency next year.
Chief business and finance officer Mookie Patel and Juha Jarvinen, chief commercial officer, were on hand at Austin airport on Wednesday (June 8) to greet guests who were on board one of the first flights to the destination operated by the airline.
The media then attended a briefing where Virgin Atlantic president Sir Richard Branson labelled Austin – the first new US route the airline has launched from London since 2017 – a “fantastic addition” to its network.
“It’s an honour to be here to welcome Virgin Atlantic’s very first flight to Austin,” he said.
“They say everything is bigger in Texas and I’ve found that to be true with the entrepreneurial spirit, creativity and innovation that has emerged from this great city.
“We are looking forward to providing a stronger connection between Austin and London. We are already seeing a lot of interest from people in the UK wanting to visit Austin, and vice-versa.
“Austin is a fantastic addition to Virgin Atlantic’s route network.”
Austin became the airline’s 11th US destination from London when it made its inaugural flight on May 25.
Jarvinen said: “Seeing our aircraft touch down in Austin today fills me with great pride and is a momentous occasion as it represents Virgin Atlantic’s new phase of growth.
“Austin is our first new US route since 2017 and we know its impressive food, arts and music scene has already caught the eye of our customers.
“We’ve seen a huge demand for bookings and as a result, we’re happy to confirm that the route will increase to a daily service from spring 2023.”
Return economy fares start at £516 per person, premium at £817 and Upper Class from £2,014.