Virgin Atlantic is set to broaden its international reach with the introduction of new flights to Accra and Riyadh from London Heathrow, starting in 2025. The airline will utilize Airbus A330-900neo and Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft for these routes, accommodating 262 and 264 passengers, respectively.
- Riyadh: Launching on March 30, 2025, with daily flights.
- Accra: Starting on May 1, 2025, also with daily service.
Additionally, the airline will begin service to Toronto on March 30, 2025.
Current and Future Virgin Atlantic Routes from LHR
- Bahamas: Nassau (NAS) – 2 weekly flights on Boeing 787-9
- Barbados:
- Canada: Toronto (YYZ) – 7 weekly flights starting March 30, 2025
- China: Shanghai (PVG) – 7 weekly flights on Boeing 787-9
- Cyprus/Israel:
- Ghana: Accra (ACC) – 7 weekly flights starting May 1, 2025
- India:
- Jamaica:
- Nigeria: Lagos (LOS) – 7 weekly flights
- Saudi Arabia: Riyadh (RUH) – 7 weekly flights starting March 30, 2025
- South Africa:
- United States:
- Atlanta (ATL) – 7 weekly flights
- New York (JFK) – 42 weekly flights, among others.
TAAG Linhas Aereas de Angola is marking a significant milestone by receiving its first Airbus A220-300. This aircraft will soon be performing its delivery flight to Luanda, the capital, as part of a broader fleet renewal strategy aimed at replacing older Boeing 737-700s with modern A220s. Currently, TAAG has an order for 15 A220s to be added through 2024 and 2025.
TAAG’s Fleet
- Boeing 737-700: 8 units
- Boeing 737-800: 1 unit
- Boeing 777-200: 3 units
- Boeing 777-300(ER): 5 units
- Dash 8: 6 units
The airline also plans to enhance its fleet with Boeing 787-9 and 787-10 Dreamliners to further modernize its offerings.
Emirates has reached a milestone with the first test flight of its Airbus A350. This aircraft, still under provisional registration, took off from Toulouse and is set for delivery in October, with an eventual fleet of 65 A350s scheduled for delivery through early 2028. Emirates intends to commence regular A350 operations on the Dubai – Edinburgh route starting December 2, 2024.
Key Highlights in the Africa and Middle East Market
- Air Arabia Maroc will launch flights from Casablanca to Madrid starting October 27, operating four times weekly.
- Air Botswana plans to expand its schedule with new routes in October and November.
- Georgian Airways is set to operate a charter flight from Tbilisi to Seychelles in November.
Other airlines are also making significant moves:
- Pakistani carrier AirSial will start operations between Islamabad and Riyadh on October 30.
- Animawings will commence weekly flights from Bucharest to Marrakech on December 29.
- Several airlines in the region are enhancing operations or launching new routes, indicating a robust aviation market.
Recent Developments
- FlyGabon launched operations in August with routes from Libreville.
- S7 Airlines will initiate flights to Dubai starting September 30 from Domodedovo Airport.
- Increased frequencies between various destinations, including South African Airways starting daily flights to Dar-es-Salaam from November 11.
Overall, the aviation landscape in Africa and the Middle East is bustling with new routes, expansions, and modern fleet additions, showcasing a dynamic growth phase in the industry.
