Press releases

• First of three new Virgin Atlantic routes takes off today (28 March) to San Francisco
• Boston route launches 29 March, with New York JFK in May   

Today marks the start of Virgin Atlantic’s increased flying programme from Manchester Airport, as the first of three new routes takes off to San Francisco this morning.  To mark the occasion, Virgin Atlantic’s Chief Commercial Officer, Shai Weiss, along with Minister for International Trade Greg Hands and Manchester Airport Group’s CEO Charlie Cornish greeted guests before departure. 

They were joined by more than 20 tech leaders from the North of England, who are visiting Silicon Valley on a trade mission, which is set to give the sector a boost, thanks to the new direct link between the two cities.  

Experts predict that the new flight will lead to a rise in ‘super-commuting’, as entrepreneurs set up shop in both cities. In the same way that more frequent links between New York and London gave rise to the notion of NY-Lon, ‘Man-Fran’ is expected to have a significant impact on the North West region. 

Speaking at Manchester Airport this morning, Virgin Atlantic’s Chief Commercial Officer, Shai Weiss, commented;

“We’ve been flying out of Manchester for over 20 years and today marks our biggest ever route expansion from the city.  We want to offer our customers the best possible service to places they want to travel , so this summer, we’ll have over 25% more seats out of the city than last year, firmly cementing our commitment to Manchester and the northern powerhouse.”

In additional to San Francisco, a new route from Manchester to Boston launches on Wednesday 29th April, with Virgin Atlantic’s direct connection between the northern powerhouse and JFK New York commencing in May, cementing the airline’s commitment to the region.  

Operating three times weekly from summer 2017, Virgin Atlantic’s Manchester-San Francisco flights will connect the region with world famous landmarks such as Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz and Fisherman’s Wharf.  Virgin Atlantic will be the first ever carrier to provide direct services between Manchester and the northern Californian city. The new route to the historic city of Boston in New England will fly twice weekly, also starting summer 2017.  A year round New York service will operate yearly from May.  Along with its joint venture partner, Delta Air Lines, Virgin Atlantic now flies 21 routes from the UK which connects to over 200 destinations in the U.S.A.