Virgin Atlantic has begun operating its eagerly anticipated daily service between London Heathrow and Seoul Incheon, marking the carrier’s first foray into the South Korean market.
The new route, which launched on Sunday 29 March, was made possible after slots became available at Heathrow following the completion of the Korean Air and Asiana merger in 2024. Seoul has long been a target destination for the airline, and the service will be welcomed by the growing number of business travellers making the trip between the two capitals.
However, the airline has simultaneously confirmed the withdrawal of its Heathrow to Riyadh route, barely a year after it was introduced in April 2025. Virgin Atlantic cited the “evolving situation in the Middle East” as the reason for the cancellation, a move that will disappoint corporate travel buyers who had begun incorporating the Saudi capital into their programmes.
Dave Geer, chief commercial officer at Virgin Atlantic, said the airline had “loved flying to Riyadh” and acknowledged the disappointment the decision would cause among loyal customers.
Elsewhere, Virgin Atlantic is bolstering its summer 2026 schedule with a significant capacity increase on key routes popular with business and leisure travellers alike. Flights from Heathrow to Bengaluru will nearly double, rising from seven to 13 weekly services, while the Mumbai route will see additional seat capacity through the deployment of larger Airbus A350 aircraft.
Las Vegas services will also increase from seven to 10 weekly flights from 31 August, with the airline pointing to strong demand during September and October as the driver behind the uplift.