Virgin Atlantic doubles London-Johannesburg service

Virgin Atlantic will add a second daily service between London and Johannesburg in October, in hopes that 2017’s increased volume, which was experienced across the industry will be a continuing trend. The route addresses increased demand in both directions. The second daily frequency will be operated by a 787-9 aircraft, which offers up to 24 tonnes of belly capacity.

Last year, the airline saw a 5 percent increase in cargo volume to South Africa as a whole, and a 4 percent increase in tonnage from Johannesburg. Steve Buckerfield, director of sales at the airline said, “2017 was a particularly strong year for both north and southbound cargo volumes,” which he attributed to the carriage of pharmaceuticals and e-commerce shipments.

To take advantage of the increased demand for pharmaceutical shipments, Virgin Atlantic Cargo last year opened a 4,000 square foot facility, which it calls the Heathrow Pharma Zone, to accommodate “temperature-controlled life science and pharmaceutical products.” The carrier will also invest further in the South African market by opening a contact center in Johannesburg in April.