Effective 27 January Virgin Nigeria are to suspend their long haul flights from London (Gatwick) to Lagos and to Johannesburg, South Africa.
Virgin Nigeria states that this is part of a review programme of their entire long haul operation and once the review is complete and the results are finalised they are certain to return to reinstate these long haul flights.
Local media, however, reports that the decision to cancel their long haul flights was forced on Virgin Nigeria due to increasing debt, higher operating/fuel costs and growing competition on the routes. Parent company Virgin Atlantic who own 49% of Virgin Nigeria were last year reported to be in talks to offload as much as 42% of it’s Lagos based subsidiary. The remaining 51% of the carrier is owned by Nigerian investors.
Virgin’s main competitors on the Lagos-London route are BA, Arik Air and parent Virgin Atlantic-an airline competing with itself, novel !!
Virgin Nigeria will now concentrate it’s efforts on it’s profitable domestic and regional services where the airline’s management are confident of further growth and continued success. Post 27 January the airline will fly to Abijan, Accra, Dakar, Cotonou, Douala, Lagos, Libraville and Monrovia
