**Virgin Atlantic Resumes Flights Between London and Accra Starting May 2025**
Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787-9 at Heathrow
Virgin Atlantic is set to relaunch its daily flight service between London Heathrow (LHR) and Accra (ACC) on May 1, 2025. The airline will deploy the Boeing 787-9 for this route. The schedule is as follows:
- **VS403:** Departing London at 10:30 PM, arriving in Accra at 5:00 AM (+1 day)
- **VS404:** Departing Accra at 9:15 AM, arriving in London at 5:25 PM
The flight covers a distance of 3,160 miles, with a travel time of 6 hours 30 minutes southbound and 7 hours 10 minutes northbound. Bookings for this route will open on September 12, 2024. Virgin Atlantic's award seat guarantee ensures that Flying Club points can be used easily once the flights become available.
This new service marks a return for Virgin Atlantic to the Accra market, which it last served in 2013. Currently, British Airways is the sole carrier on this route, offering a daily service as well.
Accra will become Virgin Atlantic’s fourth African destination, joining Johannesburg (JNB), Lagos (LOS), and seasonal service to Cape Town (CPT).
The timing of this new route and the recently announced Riyadh service seem to overlap with the suspension of the Tel Aviv (TLV) route. Given Heathrow's slot constraints, it raises questions about whether Tel Aviv might be replaced by these new destinations.
**Why Virgin Atlantic is Reintroducing Accra Service**
Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787-9 Upper Class
Virgin Atlantic cites several reasons for resuming flights to Accra. The airline highlights that:
- There is currently limited competition, with British Airways being the only other airline offering nonstop flights between London and Accra.
- The UK hosts the third-largest Ghanaian diaspora globally, making the route particularly appealing for leisure travel, including visits to friends and family.
- Around 10% of passengers are expected to connect to Virgin Atlantic’s New York (JFK) service. This connection is facilitated by the flight's arrival time in London.
However, the rationale for this route might raise some questions. The service is primarily targeted at leisure travelers with limited onward connectivity options from Accra. Historically, economy fares between London and Accra have been higher compared to other routes such as London to New York, due to the lack of competition.
In contrast, British Airways offers a competitive edge with better connection options, departing London in the early afternoon and arriving in the morning, which might put Virgin Atlantic at a disadvantage.
It remains to be seen how this route performs over time, given the competitive landscape and the focus on leisure travel.
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