Virgin Atlantic to cut 80% of flights and ground 75-85% of fleet

Virgin Atlantic will reduce its flight schedule by 80% and park three-quarters of its fleet by March 26, in addition to asking staff to take 5 weeks of unpaid leave as it seeks to conserve cash and safeguard its future. The carrier says it is taking the “drastic measures” in response to the ongoing coronavirus crisis, which has resulted in “a huge volume of cancellations as customers choose to stay at home”. Virgin Atlantic will ground 75% of its fleet by March 26, rising to 85% in April, as it slashes its flight schedule to focus on “core routes” which will be determined by customer demand. The airline’s London Heathrow-Newark service is being “permanently terminated with immediate effect”. To further reduce costs, Virgin Atlantic is offering a one-time voluntary severance package to all employees and a sabbatical of 6 to 12 months. <br/>