Virgin Atlantic Resumes Service Between London and Cape Town

British upscale airline, Virgin Atlantic Airways will resume its direct flights between London Heathrow and Cape Town International Airport, South Africa on 5 November 2022.

The flight resumption announcement was made at an event in Cape Town on Saturday, attended by Virgin Atlantic founder Richard Branson and Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis.

The nonstop service will operate daily between London and the Mother City using a three-class Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. The aircraft offers 31 Upper Class seats, 35 Premium seats and 198 Economy seats, all featuring touch screen entertainment.

Virgin Atlantic originally launched flights to Cape Town back in 1999. In 2015, the airline dropped the London-Cape Town service, citing uncertainties around new Home Affairs immigration regulations.

In 2020, Virgin Atlantic returned to Cape Town ahead of summer with a seasonal service from London Heathrow. However, the service was suspended just weeks after it took off due to the global Covid-19 pandemic.

Recall that South Africa was on the UK coronavirus red list until the end of last year. The UK only removed South Africa from its travel red list in December 2021, which required travellers to do a mandatory ten day hotel quarantine at their own expense.

The resumption of flights between London and Cape Town will offer both leisure and business travellers the opportunity to rediscover the beautiful city of Cape Town. The service will also help boost South African tourism which has suffered depression due to the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.

When it resumes, the Cape Town service will be complemented by Virgin Atlantic’s current daily flights between London and Johannesburg operated by a Boeing 787-9.

Cape Town is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Beaches, culture and beautiful people: Cape Town has it all. But that's not all about Cape Town, although you’re spoilt for choice between Clifton and Llandudno.

Nature-lovers can hike up the Twelve Apostles or swim with the penguins at Boulders Beach. If it’s history you’re after, catch a boat to Nelson Mandela’s former prison cell at Robben Island or uncover the city’s secret past at District Six Museum.

London-Cape Town flights are already on sale. Visit www.virginatlantic.com for more information and to book.

Photo credit: Vincenzo Pace