Virgin Atlantic will drop its Shanghai service this winter after 25 years as it further cuts its Asia-Pacific network amid the longer flying times necessitated by not being able to overfly Russia.
The UK carrier had already last year opted not to restore its long-standing Hong Kong route, which it first flew in 1994, following the pandemic due to operational complexities stemming from the closure of Russian airspace following the invasion of Ukraine.
Virgin will now end its London Heathrow-Shanghai service from 26 October.
“Significant challenges and complexities on this route have contributed to the commercial decision to suspend flying to Shanghai,” says an airline spokesperson. ”We’re sorry for the disappointment caused to our loyal customers and anyone booked to travel from 26 October 2024 will be offered a refund.”
Virgin’s Asia-Pacific network still includes Delhi and Mumbai in India and it added flights to the Maldives last year.
