Virgin Reveals New Flights to Africa

Virgin Atlantic have announced a new route to Ghana

One of the UK's most prestigious air-carriers, Virgin Atlantic, have revealed that they are to offer cheap flights to Ghana effectively immediately. Revealing that the new route allowed travellers quick and easy access to Ghanaian capital Accra, Sir Richard Branson said that flights were to be scheduled three times a week and would utilise their Airbus A340-300 to provide 240 seats per flight.

The step by Virgin Atlantic increases their number of cheap flights to Africa to five, following on the routes already operating from London Heathrow. Speaking of the important move to invest in the "significantly" increasing tourism in West Africa, Sir Richard said that the new cheap flights would support the regional tourism trade. "Our new services will bring much-needed competition onto the route, increasing seat availability by 35 per cent and breaking the near monopoly British Airways has enjoyed for many years," he explained, before adding that their initial targets hoped to fly more than 60,000 travellers on the new route providing more access, choice and competitively prices fares for those wishing to travel to Ghana.

Virgin Atlantic announced the news as one of the largest rivals British Airways continued to experience crippling industrial action. As Sir Richard said that the firm "continues to shoot itself in the foot", the announcement no doubt comes in a bid to take market share from BA who also fly to Accra. And after it was revealed that a 10per cent gain in traveller traffic had been noted for Virgin Atlantic, their latest fares may edge them one step more ahead of failing BA.

Posted by Amanda, 02 June 2010 11:43

News tags

• Accra
• London
• Virgin