Virgin Atlantic plans to suspend service between London Heathrow and Austin, Texas, a route launched in May 2022, citing a “persistent softening in corporate demand, specifically the tech sector,” the carrier announced Friday. The carrier’s last service between the cities will operate Jan. 7, 2024.
“We adored flying our customers to Austin and experiencing this wonderful city of music and culture, but demand in the tech sector is not set to improve in the near term, with corporate demand at 70 percent of 2019 levels,” Virgin Atlantic chief commercial officer Juha Jarvinen said in a statement.
The airline will be in contact with affected customers scheduled to fly after Jan. 7 “to provide options, which include offering a full refund,” according to the carrier.
Citing “robust customer demand” for premium leisure travel, Virgin Atlantic also is adding capacity between London Heathrow and Miami to twice daily from 11 flights per week for the summer 2024 season.
