Virgin Atlantic has announced that it will launch a codeshare agreement with Korean Air from 10 December 2019. The deal will allow passengers to book flights to Seoul through Virgin’s website, with connections to over 80 destinations in Korea, Japan and China. The partnership will also allow passengers to earn frequent flyer miles through both airlines’ loyalty programs.
The codeshare agreement marks the first time that Virgin Atlantic will offer flights to South Korea. The airline will initially offer three flights per week from London Heathrow to Incheon International Airport in Seoul, with Korean Air operating the flights. The codeshare agreement will operate in both directions, with Korean Air offering connections to Virgin Atlantic’s transatlantic flights to the US, including New York, Boston and Miami.
The deal comes as Virgin Atlantic looks to expand its global network to compete with rival airlines such as British Airways and Delta. Virgin Atlantic already has codeshare agreements in place with several other airlines, including Delta, Air France, KLM, Virgin Australia and Singapore Airlines.
The codeshare agreement with Korean Air is also expected to benefit the South Korean tourism industry. South Korea has seen a rise in tourism over the past few years, with a record 15.34 million visitors in 2018, a 15% year-on-year increase. However, the country has seen a decrease in visitors from Japan due to a dispute over wartime forced labour. Virgin Atlantic’s new codeshare agreement with Korean Air could attract more tourists from Europe and the US to South Korea, which has been investing heavily in its tourism industry in recent years.
The announcement of the codeshare agreement was welcomed by Korean Air, which said that it was “pleased to join hands with Virgin Atlantic”, and that the partnership would “provide additional benefits to passengers”. The deal will also benefit Virgin Atlantic customers, giving them access to Korean Air’s extensive network in Asia and Australia.
The new route between London and Seoul is part of Virgin Atlantic’s wider expansion plans, which include the launch of new services to destinations such as Tel Aviv and Sao Paulo. The airline has also placed an order for six Airbus A350-1000 aircraft, which are due to be delivered in 2019 and 2020.
Virgin Atlantic is one of the UK’s largest airlines, and operates flights to over 200 destinations worldwide. The airline was founded by Richard Branson in 1984, and has since grown to become a major player in the global aviation industry. The company was acquired by Delta Air Lines in 2013, and now operates in partnership with Delta and other global airlines.