Virgin Atlantic Cargo cuts back freighter services

Virgin Atlantic Cargo has reduced its freighter services four months after it began a temporary move into all-cargo operations, ending its flights to Billund.

From August to October 2, Virgin Atlantic Cargo ran a service that operated three times per week between Denmark’s Billund Airport and Heathrow Airport in London using an Airbus A321F operated by Titan Airways.

On Wednesday, Fridays and Saturdays, the service offered 28 tonnes of capacity per flight and connected with Virgin Atlantic flights to the US and other destinations.

Speaking exclusively to Air Cargo News, Phil Wardlaw, managing director of Virgin Atlantic Cargo, confirmed the service had stopped, although a specific end date had not been announced at the time of launch.

He said: “We can confirm that Virgin Atlantic Cargo’s direct flights from Billund to London Heathrow have ceased operations after a final service on October 2.

“We never want to disappoint our customers and have therefore given as much notice as possible to our customers.

“We are making changes to our flying programme in order to deploy our fleet most effectively and provide the services that our customers require.

“Onward connection to our flight network at London Heathrow remains available via truck from Billund and we are exploring opportunities for faster connections to our flight network via other European gateways.”

Virgin also offers a freighter service between London and Brussels in May, with the plan to operate the service until the end of October. This service is also operated by Titan utilising the same aircraft.

Wardlaw confirmed the service was still operational, but has not yet confirmed whether this service will also end.

The airline suggested in July there was a possibility the freighter could operate beyond October.