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Dave

Finnair marks 70 years of London-Helsinki flights with increased daily UK departures

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Celebrating 70 years of connecting London and Helsinki, Finnair has marked a significant milestone in its history this September.

On Sunday, 1st September, Finnair commemorated seven decades since launching its London-Helsinki route in 1954.

Originally, the route connected London and Helsinki via Düsseldorf and Copenhagen, with a total journey time of around eight hours. At that time, the flight operated three times per week, and a return ticket cost £67.50, the equivalent of approximately £1,900 today.

Fast forward 70 years, and Finnair is preparing to increase its frequency from four to six daily flights between London Heathrow and Helsinki, with return tickets starting from as little as £160.

Despite all the changes over the years, one thing has remained constant: the importance of London in Finnair’s route network and the significance of the UK market for the airline.

Today, around 2,000 passengers daily either start their journey from London, connect at Heathrow, or return to the UK from global destinations with Finnair.

Anssi Partanen: proud to celebrate

For the upcoming winter season, Finnair is also reinstating its Manchester route to its full capacity, with double daily departures. Additionally, the Edinburgh-Helsinki route will operate seven times a week, with double daily flights on Thursdays and no flights on Saturdays.

Anssi Partanen, UK, Ireland and Benelux Market Director of Finnair said,

I am proud to be able to celebrate the long history of our London route.

You might remember that the direct Manchester-Helsinki flights turned 30 last spring and Finnair celebrated its centenary late last year – so there really is a lot to be proud of!

Paul Baker, Sales Director at Global Travel Management, commented,

Finnair’s increased frequency on the London-Helsinki route offers even greater convenience and flexibility for UK-based business travellers. With more daily departures, business travellers can better tailor their travel plans to meet their specific needs, whether they are attending meetings, conferences, or visiting clients.

For more information on how these changes could benefit your business travel plans, please contact your Global Travel Management Account Manager.

Dave

Wyndham Rewards and credit card triumph again in USA Today awards

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Wyndham Rewards® – ‘the world’s most generous rewards programme’ – has once again been recognised as the top hotel loyalty scheme by USA Today readers, while the Wyndham Rewards Earner® Card has been named the best hotel credit card.

This achievement marks the seventh consecutive year that Wyndham Rewards has topped the USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards for hotel loyalty programmes and the sixth consecutive year its credit card has won the same accolade. The awards are determined by a panel of industry experts, with winners chosen through daily votes cast by USA Today readers.

The recognition from USA Today is just the latest in a series of accolades for Wyndham Rewards, which was recently named the best hotel rewards programme by U.S. News & World Report and the most valuable rewards programme by NerdWallet.

These honours complement an impressive year for Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, which has also been recognised as one of Newsweek’s Most Loved Workplaces, one of Ethisphere’s Most Ethical Companies, and one of Fair360’s Top 50 Companies for Workplace Fairness.

Scott Strickland, Chief Commercial Officer of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, stated,

Simple and generous—that’s what Wyndham Rewards is all about. Day-in, and day-out, no other hotel rewards programme gives their members more for their money or offers more places to redeem. From seaside escapes to buzzing urban cities, wherever you want to go, whatever you want to do, Wyndham is there to welcome you. Congratulations to our team members, to our franchisees and to our partners—without your hard work and continued dedication, these accolades simply wouldn’t be possible.

Wyndham Rewards boasts approximately 110 million enrolled members globally and remains the only hotel loyalty programme where members earn a guaranteed 1,000 points with every qualified stay.

These points can be redeemed for free nights at over 60,000 hotels, vacation club resorts, and vacation rentals worldwide, or exchanged for a variety of rewards, including tours, activities, gift cards, and shopping.

The programme offers three simple redemption tiers, with free nights starting at just 7,500 points per room per night and discounted nights starting at 1,500 points per room per night.

To enhance the value for members, Wyndham Rewards offers a suite of credit cards, including the Wyndham Rewards Earner Card, Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card and the Wyndham Rewards Earner Business Card, which is designed specifically for small businesses. These cards provide enhanced rewards, such as up to 8x points on gas purchases and Wyndham hotel stays, up to 5x points on marketing, advertising, and utility purchases (for business cardholders), and up to 4x points on restaurant and grocery purchases.

Paul Baker, Sales Director of Global Travel Management, commented on the recognition, saying,

For UK-based business travellers, the benefits of a top-tier loyalty programme like Wyndham Rewards cannot be overstated. Whether travelling for business in the UK or abroad, our clients can now enjoy greater flexibility, more value, and the reassurance of being rewarded generously for every stay.

For more information about how Wyndham Hotels can benefit your business travel, please contact your Global Travel Management Account Manager.

Dave

‘A Sunflower Sojourn’ transforms Changi Airport with more than 5,000 sunflowers

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Changi Airport has transformed into a floral spectacle with its first-ever flower-themed showcase, ‘A Sunflower Sojourn’, featuring over 5,000 sunflowers in more than 20 locations across all four terminals until 30th September.

The showcase, the largest of its kind ever held in an airport, includes stunning displays of sunflowers from classic bright yellow varieties like ‘Sunrise’ to rare breeds such as the red and yellow ‘Florenza’ and pastel pink ‘Strawberry Blonde’.

These blooms, meticulously cultivated in Changi Airport’s own plant nursery, are exhibited both indoors and outdoors, extending to Hub & Spoke.

Sunflower Display: Vibrant blooms across terminals.
Pics: Changi Airport Group

Visitors can enjoy captivating floral displays at the Departure Halls of Terminals 2 and 3, where sunflower topiary sculptures tower at five and eight metres tall, respectively.

This celebration of sunflowers is particularly significant for Changi Airport, which has been associated with these radiant flowers since the opening of the Sunflower Garden at Terminal 2 in 2002.

Mr Ang Siew Min, Senior Vice President of Airport Operations Development, Changi Airport Group said

Our lush gardens at Changi Airport have always been more than just a feature – they are an experience that embodies the warmth and hospitality of our airport.

We are thrilled to unveil this vibrant Sunflower Sojourn display as an extension of the Sunflower Garden to other parts of the airport.

Beyond their bright and cheerful appeal, sunflowers have been significant in various cultural, artistic, and ecological contexts. Visitors can learn about their influence on art, from poetry and painting to their vital role in the ecosystem and their diverse human uses, such as in agriculture, where sunflower seeds are an essential crop. Used for animal feed, snacks and the production of sunflower oil, sunflowers have remained a valuable resource for over 3,000 years.

Additionally, Changi Airport offers exclusive sunflower-themed merchandise, including the limited-edition Buddy bear in a sunflower outfit, pens, coasters, and more, available at Terminal 3’s Main Event Outpost and themed vending machines. Transit passengers can also participate in sunflower-themed activities, such as paper sunflower-making workshops and temporary tattoo stickers, scheduled over select weekends in Terminals 1 and 3.

Paul Baker, Sales Director of Global Travel Management, commented,

This unique showcase at Changi Airport offers UK-based business travellers a refreshing and memorable experience during their journey. It’s a fantastic opportunity to enjoy something extraordinary while travelling, reflecting Changi’s commitment to customer delight.

For those visiting Hub & Spoke, sunflower-inspired dishes, including sunflower-flavoured soft-serve yoghurt and sunflower butter toast, are also available, offering a delightful treat to complement the floral displays.

If you plan to experience ‘A Sunflower Sojourn’ at Changi Airport, please contact your Global Travel Management Account Manager.

Dave

Schiphol Airport introduces time slot reservations for smoother security checks

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Travelling for business can be a stressful experience, especially when you factor in the time it takes to get through security at the airport. However, Schiphol Airport is now offering a solution that UK-based business travellers could find makes some journeys a little smoother.

Game changer: Schiphol’s time slot reservation system can speed up journeys through the airport

Travellers flying to a destination within the Schengen Zone can now reserve time slots for the security check, free of charge.

By making use of these reserved time slots, travellers can go through the security check in a dedicated lane and at a time they selected. This means they know exactly when they are expected at the security check, and can avoid unnecessarily long queues caused by arriving too early at the airport.

It’s important to note that this service only applies to the security check. Travellers still need to factor in enough time for their check-in and to drop off any baggage they have in the departure hall.

But by offering this service, Schiphol Airport is contributing to improved passenger sign-in patterns, a smoother flow through the security process and a better passenger experience.

Paul Baker, Global Travel Management Sales Director said,

As a travel management company that serves many UK-based business travellers, we know how important it is to have a stress-free journey. Schiphol Airport’s new time slot reservation system for security checks is a game-changer for our clients who frequently travel to the Schengen Zone.

By reserving a time slot, our clients can avoid the uncertainty of long queues and arrive at the security check at a time that suits them.

This will not only reduce stress, but also help them to plan their journey more effectively. We welcome this new service and hope it will be extended to other destinations soon

So, how does it work? Time slots can be reserved up to three days before departure on the Schiphol website or app. After making a booking, travellers receive a confirmation email containing a QR code. This code is scanned by a member of staff at Schiphol, who then directs them to the right security check entrance.

Schiphol Airport is the fourth largest European airport to offer this service, and it’s likely that other destinations will follow shortly.

For UK-based business travellers who frequently travel to the Schengen Zone for work, this could be a game-changer. By knowing exactly when they need to be at the security check, they can plan their journey more effectively and reduce the stress of travelling for work.

Schiphol Airport’s new time slot reservation system for security checks can offer UK-based business travellers a more efficient and stress-free way to travel. By reserving a time slot, travellers can avoid long queues and arrive at the security check at a time that suits them.

This service is currently available for destinations within the Schengen Zone, but it’s likely that other destinations will follow shortly. 

Dave

Top travel agents recognised at national awards ceremony

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The UK’s top travel agents were recognised at a presentation dinner and awards ceremony at Birmingham’s spectacular The Vox convention centre last night (24 March).

Organised by travel industry publication TTG and sponsored by some of the travel industry’s biggest names, the TTG Top 50 is the annual celebration of the very best travel agencies in the country.

The awards are split into twelve regional categories for high street travel agents, eight national awards for the best-of-the-best and four ‘special’ categories.

Of the 24 categories, one is devoted to business travel. And it’s for this award – the Best Business Travel Agency 2022 – that Global Travel Management was honoured by being shortlisted, along with just three other companies.

Speaking before the event, Scott Pawley, managing director of GTM said,

From customer comments we receive on a regular basis, we know we’re doing a great job.  In fact that’s why so many customers remain so loyal to GTM; and why we’re heading out of the pandemic with more customers than at any time in our history.  But to be nominated for shortlisting in this category is a huge testament to the work we have put in over the years to make sure GTM is seen as a rightful competitor to some of the biggest, heavily-backed, multi-million dollar businesses in the industry.  

It might be too much to expect that a company the size of GTM could take on and beat the biggest businesses in the UK.  But I am very grateful for the support of our customers and suppliers which has enabled this David to step into the same ring as several Goliaths. 

In the event, it wasn’t too much to expect, because the judges decided to award Global Travel Management with one of just two places in the categroy Best Business Travel Agencies 2022.

Speaking after the awards were announced, Scott Pawley said:

The recognition we received by being shortlisted is for the hard work and excellence of the team that makes GTM tick – I am very pleased that everyone in our team knows that their contribution to our success has been recognised.

The judges saw that exceptional work GTM put in during the course of the pandemic. From launching new products and services like our Carbon Offset Programme and PinPoint to the work we put in behind the scenes, campaigning for a better deal from the government during travel bans and making our voices heard in Grant Shapps’ Global Travel Taskforce.

We also closed acquisitions and, with new customers coming on board, we now have more customers than at any point in our history.

It’s a great way to mark 25 years as a travel management company.

The event started with an exclusive afternoon tea party for travel agents and, following a lavish dinner, with entertainment, the awards ceremony took place, with the party continuing until 2am.

Evergreen Pop Idol Will Young took to the stage at the end of the TTG Top 50 awards ceremony, involving the best travel agencies from across the UK.
Global Travel Management’s team celebrating the company’s place in the TTG Top 50 Travel Agencies 2022.
Dave

How would you spend two extra hours on your next transatlantic trip?

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That’s a question a number of business travellers are facing, thanks to a great time-saving initiative for business travellers flying from the UK to the United States.

One of the most frustrating, time-consuming issues business travellers entering the US face is the long lines ahead of customs clearance and border control.  After a long haul flight, the last thing many travellers want is to be faced with a lengthy wait and interrogation before even being able to leave the airport.  

Given the opportunity, many business travellers would prefer to clear customs and border checks before arriving in the country.  

Now, thanks to several routes that incorporate a stopover in Dublin Airport, passengers can “preclear” US customs and border control at a leisurely pace ahead of their onward flight to the United States.  

Global Travel Management Sales Director, Paul Baker explained, 

Paul Baker, Global Travel Management

At Global Travel Management, we will always help customers find the best fare.  But ‘best’ very rarely just means ‘cheapest’.  What customers look for as well as the lowest-cost is the most convenient route: the best value services on board: and the best and most efficient use of time. So, we often find that a route to the US through Dublin, allowing customers to preclear in the terminal building ahead of the transatlantic portion of the flight is a very welcome, very useful way to save a couple of hours – or more – on landing.

Making a stop in Dublin Airport offers a great alternative for passengers who might otherwise travel to Heathrow or Gatwick before boarding a direct flight to their destination city in the US.  Because many regional airports across the UK offer connections to and through Dublin.  This can often mean saving even more time. 

Paul explained further, 

A long haul flight means eating into a lot of otherwise productive time.  Add to that the time taken to travel to London’s two main airports and clearing customs – with passengers arriving from all over the world – and you have a lengthy addition to your travel time. 

But more and more passengers are taking advantage of travelling from UK airports closer to their homes or places of work.  If you live in the southwest of England, the south coast, the northeast, near the midlands, in Wales or close to airports in Scotland, you can hop on a short haul flight to Dublin, preclear US checks at the airport, and get on your transatlantic flight.  

You’ll cross the ‘pond’ in the knowledge you will be straight through the airport and heading for your hotel, meeting or other destination without having to hang around.

Several airlines have opened transatlantic routes through Dubin, with Aer Lingus among the most celebrated. 

Keith Tenn of Aer Lingus told us, 

Keith Tenn, Aer Lingus

Aer Lingus has established routes to several cities all over the United States.  So, passengers can choose to take advantage of this well-established opportunity at Dublin Airport. 

The door-to-door time-savings can be substantial; many of the fares are very competitively priced, in order to offer great savings. Also, passengers can accumulate Avios, one of the most widely-used frequent flyer currencies.

Contact your GTM Account Manager when you need to plan your next transatlantic trip or if you want to find out more about how to make use of preclearance in Dublin.

Dave

GTM supports the Travel Day of Action

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Global Travel Management is supporting the industry-wide campaign, Travel Day of Action on 23 June.

The event takes place following the Government’s review of the traffic light system – in which countries were moved from green to amber and amber to red, while none was moved in the opposite direction – and its failure to extend sector-specific support for the travel and aviation industries.

The day of action will be calling on the UK Government to

  • Allow international travel to return safely and in a risk managed way by properly implementing the Global Travel Taskforce’s plan; and to
  • Bring forward a package of tailored financial support to recognise that the unlocking of international travel, and hence businesses’ ability to trade and generate income, will be much slower than first anticipated, and more gradual than for businesses in the domestic economy. 
Scott Pawley made a plea to the Prime Minister to meet the Travel Day of Action’s demands

All parts of the travel industry have been invited to participate, including travel management companies, leisure travel agents, airlines, airports, tour operators, suppliers and partners.

The day will be all about putting forward a positive plan for the Government. Scott Pawley, Managing Director of Global Travel Management explained that:

London, the world’s number one most connected city in 2019, saw an 88% decline in connectivity between April 2019 and April 2021. UK residents travelling overseas generate over £53 billion in domestic spending – but with borders being closed and travel to many countries being made illegal for most individuals, hundreds of thousands of jobs have been lost, and many more remain at great risk.

The next weeks will be critical for the travel industry, as we look ahead to the next review on 28 June when the Government is expected to announce another review of both the traffic light list and also the requirements and measures in place for international travel. The Travel Day of Action is a campaign we are happy to support, as it carries two, important messages.

We want the Government to help the industry and businesses who need to travel by taking the two actions we are calling for. Allowing a risk-managed approach to opening up international travel; and providing travel industry support to help businesses cope with the on-going restrictions, now entering their sixteenth month.


The travel industry is calling on the UK Government to allow international travel to return safely in a risk-managed way and to bring forward a package of tailored financial support.

Scott has invited the MP for GTM’s Woking constituency, Jonathan Lord to the event, which takes place on College Green, outside the Palace of Westminster. Scott explained:

I have written to Jonathan Lord to put forward the campaign’s two, positive suggestions. I hope he will be able to join us on College Green immediately after Prime Minister’s Question Time, so that he can see the strength of the support behind the campaign. It’s a positive message and I hope we can get the message across.

Other countries are forging ahead with risk-based schemes that allow safe travel, most recently Germany, France and Spain. The UK is falling behind other nations in its travel restart plans and risks becoming an outlier, undermining our aspirations for Global Britain.

Scott also explained that, while some businesses in the travel industry have suffered greatly over the course of the pandemic response, it is important that the financially-stronger companies stand up. Scott said,

We have already seen airlines and travel agents succumb to the ravages of the pandemic response. So it’s important that financially sound travel management companies like us get behind this campaign. The travel industry needs competition – it’s vital we don’t lose any more names from the travel sector.

The campaign will attract travel industry members from across the UK, with events taking place around the country. And Sales Director Paul Baker pointed out that GTM clients will continue to receive the highest levels of service they expect during the day:

It’s a socially distanced, responsible campaign event, with attendance restricted to the hundreds of ticket holders who have pre-registered. We have several members of the GTM management team taking part in the event, including Kelly Packington, our Director of Operations. So, I have worked with Kelly to ensure all operational aspects of her – and her team’s – role will be covered.

All GTM clients travelling on 23 June will be fully supported, as usual.


We are calling on the UK Government to:
Allow international travel to return safely and in a risk managed way by properly implementing the Global Travel Taskforce’s plan for a traffic-light system, by expanding the Green list in line with the evidence and making restrictions more proportionate, whilst keeping a strong red list to guard against variants.
Bring forward a package of tailored financial support, including extension of furlough support, recognising that the travel sector’s ability to trade and generate income is much slower than first anticipated and more gradual than for businesses in the domestic economy.
Dave

Finnair to accept Covid-19 vaccination certificate as an alternative to negative test result or an immunity certificate when travelling to Finland

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Finnair will start accepting a Covid-19 vaccination certificate from the first vaccination dose as an alternative to a negative test result or a certificate of a previous Covid-19 infection, on Finnair flights to Finland from 11 May, 2021.

Since late January 2021, Finnair has required that all passengers travelling to Finland – excluding transfer passengers – present either a negative test certificate or an immunity/recovery certificate as a prerequisite for boarding, in line with the recommendation by the Finnish Institute of Health and Welfare.

In addition, from 11 May, there is no requirement for children under the age of 16 to present a health certificate, but Finnair recommends children between 12 and 15 years of age arrive with proof of a negative test result. This is to speed up the arrival procedure at Helsinki Airport, where passengers with a negative test result are exempt from testing on arrival.

Kimmo Ketola, Finnair Medical Director said,

Vaccines have proven their power in fighting the pandemic, and vaccination certificates will play a key role in the upcoming EU Digital Green Certificate to ensure the health and safety of travellers.

The likelihood of a vaccinated person being infected and transmitting Covid-19 is very small.

Finnair will accept vaccination certificates for all Covid-19 vaccines approved by the World Health Organization or the European Medical Agency. The vaccine needs to be administered at least 21 days before the travel date. The certificate needs to include the customer’s name, date of birth, the name of the vaccine producer, the time and place the vaccine was administered, as well as the issuer of the certificate.

As an alternative to the vaccination certificate, customers can present proof of a negative Covid-19 test result or a certificate of a previous Covid-19 infection.

Paul Baker, Sales Director of GTM explained what this can mean for UK-based business travellers,

Finnair specialises in traffic between Europe and Asia, because the fastest connections between many European destinations and Asian megacities fly over Finland. Finnair’s requirement of a Covid-19 vaccine certificate as an alternative to a negative Covid-19 test will be useful for British business travellers, since the vaccine rollout has been so successful in the UK so far.

Finnair closely follows the development of health and safety measures in travel, and regularly updates its own procedures. Finnair flights have comprehensive health and safety measures in place, including a requirement to wear a mask during the flight. Measures are also in place when boarding and disembarking the aircraft, as well as during the flight.

Passengers will need to be sure of the travel restrictions in place between the UK and Finland and should check with GTM before travelling.

Dave

GTM rolls out Testing for Travellers

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Global Travel Management has announced the roll-out of two Covid-19 testing services for customers planning international travel.

GTM has relationships with two suppliers, Confirm Testing and DiamondAir. Both organisations can test passengers pre-flight and provide negative test certificates by email, paving the way for unhindered progress through the airport and on to their destination country.

Scott Pawley, managing director of GTM said

There is a growing list of business destinations that require a negative test certificate from UK-based travellers. So we are pleased to have put together testing programmes from two industry leaders, so that our customers can get tested and can receive certificates prior to travel.

Any customer can now choose the most convenient method, suiting their requirements. Tests can be carried out at home, at Heathrow Airport, or in specific locations in London.

We can even arrange a hotel stay prior to departure, so customers can receive take the test a day prior to their fight, relax in the hotel overnight before receiving their negative certificate the following day and transfer quickly and easily to the airport.

GTM customers will have a choice of supplier to administer and carry out their testing. The two programmes work as follows:

Confirm Testing

The customer orders a test to be sent to their home address at least five days prior to departure by Royal Mail Tracked 24 hour delivery. The test can be stored at home until it is required. The customer follows the test instructions, takes the test sample and returns it using the Royal Mail Tracked 24 hour label and packaging, putting them into a designated priority post box.

The test sample is analysed and results provided to the customer in time for the flight.

DiamondAir

The customer is tested in person, choosing to be tested either at Heathrow Airport or at one of Diamond Air’s London facilities in Mayfair or Enfield. The result of the PCR swab test is provided within 4-24 hours.

Customers can choose from several levels of service, including:

  • Test – this is a straightforward test, with results emailed to the customer
  • Test and rest – this comprises a test and overnight hotel accommodation
  • Test and destress – a test, plus departure/arrival meet and assist service including car transfer to/from the test clinic/airport

Paul Baker explained the service further

Testing for Covid-19 is mandatory for a growing number of countries. So we have negotiated a discount for GTM customers with these providers, meaning that, not only will they get a fully professional, secure testing process, they will get it at a discounted rate.

Some countries demand that the test certificate is produced within a short time-frame of their planned arrival in the country. So our teams of travel consultants can help passengers decide which testing service best meets their needs.


If you are planning to travel on business to a country that requires a negative test, contact your GTM Account Manager.

Dave

Recapitalisation of Virgin Atlantic

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Virgin Atlantic has taken a big step forward in securing its future, by launching a court-backed process as part of a solvent recapitalisation of the airline and holiday business, with a “Restructuring Plan” that once approved and implemented, will keep Virgin Atlantic flying.

The Restructuring Plan is based on a five-year business plan, and with the support of shareholders Virgin Group and Delta, new private investors and existing creditors, it paves the way for the airline to rebuild its balance sheet and return to profitability from 2022.

The airline claims the recapitalisation will deliver a refinancing package worth c.£1.2bn over the next 18 months in addition to the self-help measures already taken, including cost savings of c.£280m per year and c.£880m re-phasing and financing of aircraft deliveries over the next five years.

Global aviation was one of the first industries impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic and will be one of the last to recover fully.

Virgin Atlantic took a number of actions to mitigate losses:

Virgin Atlantic’s shareholders, investors and creditors have worked together to deliver the company’s “Restructuring Plan”
  • In March, the Leadership Team took voluntary pay cuts
  • Since April, more than 80% of the workforce has benefitted from the Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, supporting efforts to preserve cash and minimise costs. In Q2, flying fell by 98% and in the second half of 2020, capacity is expected to reduce by at least 60% compared to 2019, with pre-crisis levels of flying unlikely to return until 2023. With the suspension of passenger flying in April, the airline delivered an unparalleled network of cargo-only flying, operating more than 1400 cargo flights in April, May and June.
  • In May the decision was taken to close operations at London Gatwick and cut global staff numbers by c.400.

Having closed its London Gatwick base, while retaining a slot portfolio at the airport to protect opportunities for future growth, leisure flying is now consolidated at London Heathrow and Manchester.

By 2022, Virgin Atlantic will fly the same number of sectors as 2019 despite its smaller scale, demonstrating productivity and efficiency improvements.

The airline will operate a streamlined fleet of 37 twin engine aircraft following the retirement of seven 747s and four A332s by Q1 2022, with rescheduled delivery of outstanding A350s and A339s.

Shai Weiss, CEO, Virgin Atlantic commented:

Few could have predicted the scale of the Covid-19 crisis we have witnessed and undoubtedly, the last six months have been the toughest we have faced in our 36-year history. We have taken painful measures, but we have accomplished what many thought impossible. The solvent recapitalisation of Virgin Atlantic will ensure that we can continue to provide vital connectivity and competition to consumers and businesses in Britain and beyond. We greatly appreciate the support of our shareholders, creditors and new private investors and together, we will ensure that Virgin Atlantic can emerge a sustainably profitable airline, with a healthy balance sheet.


Paul Baker, Sales Director of Global Travel Management said:

The recapitalisation of Virgin Atlantic is very good news. Virgin Atlantic’s routes offer great options for business travellers, with a network that includes the United States and South Africa. Restrictions are in place for these destinations, but, as soon as they are lifted and business travel can re-commence, it will be great to have Virgin Atlantic as a trusted, viable alternative.

If you’re planning business travel to any destination on Virgin Atlantic’s route network, contact your GTM Account Manager.