It is stated in the statement that the suspension will take effect between London and Lahore on May 1 and between London and Islamabad on July 9.
A spokesperson for the UK-based airline stated in a statement, “As we continue to grow our flight operations in 2023, we have taken the time to review our entire network and make a few changes.”
The final flight dates for Pakistan are as follows:
- London Heathrow to Lahore (VS364) departs April 30, 2023, at 21:55
- Lahore to London Heathrow (VS365) departs May 1, 2023, at 12:25
- London Heathrow to Islamabad (VS378) departs July 8, 2023, at 21:55
- Islamabad to London Heathrow (VS379) departs July 9, 2023, at 12:40
In December 2020, Virgin Atlantic launched flights from London Heathrow to Islamabad and Lahore and Manchester to Islamabad during the peak of the pandemic to capture the visiting friends and relatives (VFR) market, one of the first sectors to recover. However, as the airline continues to ramp up its flight operations in 2023, it has decided to review its network and allocate resources in the most efficient manner.
In the statement, the airline expressed regret, stating that, “We have decided to temporarily suspend our flights between London Heathrow and Pakistan. We have been proud to provide customers with travel options between the UK and Pakistan since starting operations in December 2020. Also during this time, we have been instrumental in providing cargo capacity and delivering essential medical supplies..”
Flights booked after the suspension dates will be notified and provided with options, such as rebooking or a full refund. Travelers who have booked through a third party travel agent should contact them directly for further information.
The airline concluded by thanking everyone in Pakistan, including its customers, teams, partners, and authorities, for their support over the past two years.
