Virgin Atlantic Launches Flights to Seattle

On 26 March 2017, we launched our first scheduled service between London Heathrow and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, adding the Pacific Northwest to our US route network. The new daily, non-stop service was operated by our Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, offering passengers a direct connection between London and one of the United States' major technology and business centres. The route was introduced through our transatlantic joint venture with Delta Air Lines. We took over the existing daily Heathrow–Seattle service previously operated by Delta, allowing the two airlines to make better use of their aircraft and coordinate their schedules. Our 264-seat Dreamliner provided more than 50 additional seats per flight compared with Delta's previous aircraft, increasing capacity for business and leisure travellers on the route. The launch was celebrated at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on 27 March, when Virgin Atlantic founder Sir Richard Branson arrived aboard a Dreamliner and joined representatives from the airline and the Port of Seattle. The new service gave customers in the Pacific Northwest access to our Upper Class, Premium Economy and Economy cabins, while providing passengers travelling from the UK with another direct gateway to the US West Coast.