Virgin Atlantic Enters the Japanese Market

On 1 May 1989, we launched our first service to Japan, with an inaugural flight departing London Gatwick Airport for Tokyo's Narita International Airport, arriving on 2 May. The new route was Virgin Atlantic's first scheduled service to Asia, extending our international network beyond the North American destinations that had formed the foundation of our early operations. The London–Tokyo service initially operated three times a week, providing a new direct travel option between the United Kingdom and Japan. Entering the Japanese market required us to develop operations in a new region and serve a different mix of business and leisure travellers. Our Japanese office had opened in October 1988, ahead of the route's introduction, helping establish a local presence before scheduled flights began. The service expanded during its first year, with a fourth weekly frequency introduced in October 1989. This additional capacity reflected our efforts to develop the route following its launch. Establishing flights to Tokyo was an important step in broadening Virgin Atlantic's geographical reach and developing the airline beyond its original transatlantic network.