Delta Airlines and Virgin Atlantic, in a joint statement, have confirmed that they will be returning to London Heathrow’s Terminal 3 on 15th July 2021.
Finally
Passengers travelling on Virgin Atlantic and Delta Airlines will soon be able to travel through London Heathrow’s Terminal 3 once again. The airlines said that they are looking forward to welcoming customers back onto their ‘home turf’, while also taking this as an opportunity to call on the US and UK government’s to ease restrictions for non-essential transatlantic travel.
Previously, the terminal was supposed to re-open on 1st June 2021 but it was pushed back due to ongoing uncertainty and the government’s request that all travelers from ‘red list’ countries enter through one terminal. After that, the airport initially intended to use Terminal 3 for that task but eventually has been using Terminal 4 for this purpose for the last few weeks.
Both Delta Airlines and Virgin Atlantic shifted their operations over to Terminal 2 for the last year, along with fellow Terminal 3 residents Emirates and Cathay Pacific. Other carriers, such as American Airlines and Japan Airlines, moved to Terminal 5.
Corneel Koster, Chief Customer and Operating Officer, Virgin Atlantic said:
We’re delighted to finally be back on our home turf, and I know our teams can’t wait to warmly welcome our customers to Terminal 3, as they return to the skies in style, as they fly safe and well with Virgin Atlantic.
Koster took the opportunity to once more urge the government of United Kingdom to place the United States on its list of ‘green list’ of countries, citing the millions of pounds in economic value lost every single day. Additionally, he also called on the Biden Administration to again let travellers from the United Kingdom into the country.
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1-in-a-million chance of onboard infection: Delta Airlines
Virgin Atlantic is flying to ‘Green list’ destinations – Antigua, Israel, Barbados and Grenada, which means that travellers do not need to quarantine upon arriving back in the UK. Delta is operating nonstop flights between Atlanta and London Heathrow and New York-JFK and London Heathrow for eligible travellers.
Nadia Clinton, Regional Sales Manager, Delta Airlines said:
Moving back to our home in Terminal 3 will allow our customers to once again enjoy the award-winning experience they have missed during the pandemic.
She also took the opportunity to implore the two countries’ respective governments to allow non-essential travel to resume. Clinton argues that current vaccination rates, air filtration systems, and mask mandates put the risk of catching COVID on a plane between the US and the UK as low as 1-in-a-million.
Featured image by London Heathrow Airport
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