Shock decision by Virgin Atlantic as it axes flight service between Hong Kong and London

Virgin Atlantic has cancelled plans to resume flights between Hong Kong and London from early next year, attributing the decision to “operational complexities” resulting from the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The move, which marks the end of almost 30 years of commercial ties between the city and the British airline, was announced by the company on Wednesday. Service along the route was temporarily suspended in December 2021 but was expected to resume next March.

“After careful consideration, we’ve taken the difficult decision to suspend our London Heathrow to Hong Kong services and close our Hong Kong office, after almost 30 years of proudly serving this Asian hub city,” a company spokeswoman said.

She added the airline was already discussing options with its 46 employees based in Hong Kong, which comprised 18 ground staff and 28 cabin crew.

“A period of formal consultation has now commenced with these individuals and we will do everything we can to support them during this difficult time,” the spokeswoman said.

Virgin said customers who made advance bookings would be offered refunds or vouchers for alternative services, adding that its aircraft would be redirected to other key markets for the 2023 summer season.

The airline made the decision due to the ongoing closure of Russian airspace, which had extended flight times between London and Hong Kong by around one hour, while a reverse journey would take almost two hours longer than before, the spokeswoman said.

According to the Board of Airline Representatives, foreign carriers employed about 2,000 people based in Hong Kong before the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in early 2020.