News: Chicago is Virgin territory
Flights > News > # 1105 (06/12/2006)
New flights between London and Chicago will be launched next spring.
Virgin Atlantic’s daily service from Heathrow to O’Hare takes off on April 23. The airline is also introducing a second daily service between Heathrow and Washington DC for the summer season from April 24.
1.86 million travelers flew between London Heathrow and Chicago last year, making the US city the third busiest destination from London for long-haul travellers after New York’s JFK and Dubai.
Virgin Atlantic currently flies to 27 destinations worldwide, with twice weekly services to Mauritius also launching from London Gatwick in October next year.
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Comment:
Chicago will be a welcome return for Virgin Atlantic, whose first attempt to start this route suffered in the aftermath of the September 11 atrocities. Virgin’s promotional activity about this route has pointed out how Chicago is the third most popular destination from Heathrow, with over two million passengers per year travelling between the two cities (there are no flights to Chicago from any other London airport).Although Chicago is a popular as a destination in its own right, O’Hare airport also sits at the centre of the US air transport network. It will be interesting to see what impact Virgin’s Chicago route has on the market for transfer flights, especially considering that the airport is a major hub for both United and American Airlines, who both already operate London Heathrow to Chicago flights. Virgin’s other major competitor on this route, British Airways, has a longstanding codesharing agreement with American, whereas Virgin’s codeshare tie-ups have traditionally been with Continental Airlines, whose major presence in Chicago is at Midway airport, rather than O’Hare.We’re sure that BMI will be watching this development closely. Whilst the oft repeated rumour of a tie-up between BMI and Virgin seems to have gone quiet of late, BMI already operate flights from Manchester to Chicago, tapping into onward connections with fellow Star Alliance members United.
