Virgin Atlantic Adds Cancun, Delays Ghana and Tel Aviv Routes

Virgin Atlantic has announced changes to its route network due to ongoing challenges with Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines, which power the airline’s Boeing 787 Dreamliners. While the carrier introduces new flights to Cancun, Mexico, it has delayed its planned services to Accra, Ghana, and Tel Aviv, Israel.

Starting on October 19, 2025, Virgin Atlantic will begin operating three weekly flights from London Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Cancun International Airport (CUN), marking the airline’s return to the Mexican Caribbean. These flights will be operated by the airline’s fleet of Airbus A350-1000 widebodies, with a seating capacity of 397 in a three-class configuration: 16 seats in business class, 56 in premium economy, and 325 in economy class. The A350s also feature the airline’s Upper Class “The Booth,” offering passengers a unique social space for relaxation.

The new route will be the only direct service from London Heathrow to Cancun, providing a vital link to the popular holiday destination. Virgin Atlantic’s Chief Commercial Officer, Juha Jarvinen, expressed excitement about the new service, emphasizing Cancun’s vibrant nightlife, sandy beaches, and access to Mayan ruins. He also highlighted the added benefit of increased connectivity to Central America through Virgin’s codeshare partners, including LATAM and Aeromexico, which will offer onward flights to Mexico City, Santiago, Buenos Aires, and Lima.

Virgin Atlantic Holidays, the carrier’s leisure partner, will offer various vacation packages to Cancun, including stays at luxury boutique hotels, adults-only resorts, and family-friendly all-inclusive properties, both in Cancun and the nearby Riviera Maya region.

“We’re delighted to be returning to Cancun, offering customers a new destination for some winter sun,” said Jarvinen. “Our new route offers increased connectivity to the region, and we can’t wait for our customers to experience Virgin Atlantic’s trademark fiesta and flair on their way to Mexico.”

However, the introduction of the Cancun route has led to the postponement of two other key services. Virgin Atlantic’s long-anticipated entry into the London-Ghana market, announced just a few months ago, has been delayed. Additionally, the airline’s planned return to Tel Aviv has been postponed. These changes are due to ongoing issues with the Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines that power Virgin Atlantic’s fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliners. The airline’s fleet of 17 Dreamliners, all equipped with this engine type, has faced repeated maintenance delays, with one aircraft currently grounded and another expected to be grounded next year.

These engine issues, which have plagued the Trent 1000 for over a decade, have resulted in extended downtime for the affected aircraft, contributing to a backlog in servicing. Other carriers, including British Airways and Air New Zealand, have also experienced similar disruptions due to these engine problems.

“We have made the difficult decision to delay the restart of our service to Tel Aviv to winter 2025/26 and to push back our new service to Accra to the same season,” a Virgin Atlantic spokesperson explained.

Virgin Atlantic is working closely with Rolls-Royce to resolve the engine issues as quickly as possible. The airline has assured affected customers that they will be contacted starting November 11, 2024, to discuss their options, including rebooking with alternative carriers, rescheduling flights, or receiving a refund.

Rolls-Royce has committed to prioritizing the resolution of these issues, with a company spokesman confirming that decisive action is being taken to minimize the impact on operations.

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