Photo: Virgin Atlantic After More Than A Decade: Virgin Atlantic Landed In Toronto And Launched A New Direct Route Between Heathrow Airport In London And Pearson International Airport In Toronto.
The airline's first Canadian route since 2014 will connect London with Toronto, the economic and cultural center of Canada. Flights will be operated on Boeing 787-9 aircraft, with the new daily service expected to carry over 165,000 passengers annually, offering up to 20 tons of cargo capacity for technology goods and online orders.
Virgin Atlantic's return supports its growing expansion on the transatlantic route, based on its recent expansion in India, where it offers convenient connections with one stop via Heathrow to major cities in India, including Mumbai, Delhi, and Bangalore, with an average transit time of just one hour and 20 minutes.
Additionally, passengers will now be able to connect easily to Johannesburg, Lagos, Tel Aviv, and Beirut through code-sharing and collaborations with other airlines.
However, it is worth noting that Virgin Atlantic is expected to resume its flights from Tel Aviv to London only in October 2025. Until then, passengers will enjoy collaborations with other airlines such as EL-AL on the route to London, a groundbreaking agreement signed about a year ago.
It is also notable that as of now, there is no direct connection from Toronto to Tel Aviv following EL-AL's cessation of flights about three years ago. Air Canada is expected to resume its direct flights in about two months.
The new service will also offer additional connections within Canada as part of an expanded partnership with WestJet. Both airlines will be located in Terminal 3 at Pearson Airport in Toronto, allowing passengers to connect through Toronto to 13 additional destinations across Canada with benefits in the Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and WestJet Rewards loyalty programs, which are expected to launch later this year.
Moreover, the launch strengthens the collaboration between Virgin Atlantic and Delta Airlines, which recently resumed its flights to Tel Aviv a few days ago, and Air France-KLM, which together operate over 100 weekly flights between Europe and seven Canadian gateways, enhancing options and flexibility for customers on the transatlantic route.
Sir Richard Branson, President Of Virgin Atlantic And Founder Of The Virgin Group, Said: "Canada, We Missed You! It’s Been More Than A Decade, But We're Here Again And Doing It Right. I’m Happy To See Virgin Atlantic's Return To Toronto, A City With So Much Spirit And Energy. With Our Amazing Team, Exceptional Service, And Strong Partner Network, We Can’t Wait To Welcome Customers Onboard."
Joha Yarbinen, Chief Commercial Officer, Virgin Atlantic, Said: "We Are Very Excited To Return To Canada. We've Wanted To Come Back For A Long Time – And This Time, We're Here To Stay. Toronto Is Not Only A Thriving Financial Hub But Also A Gateway To One Of The Most Diverse And Vibrant Countries In The World. With Our Strong Transatlantic Focus, Expanded Connections To India, And Exciting Collaboration With WestJet, It’s The Perfect Time."
John Weatherill, Senior Vice President And Chief Commercial Officer, WestJet, Added: "We Are Proud To Welcome Virgin Atlantic Back To Canada! Through Our Expanded Collaboration, Together We Can Provide Unmatched Value And Convenience To Our Passengers. With Our Shared Location In Terminal 3 At Pearson Airport In Toronto, Our Passengers Can Enjoy A Seamless Journey On One Ticket With Combined Check-In, Effectively Connecting All Of Canada With Virgin Atlantic's Global Network To London And Beyond."
Toronto: Photo: Shutterstock
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