Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

New Virgin Atlantic route could bring international lift

Las Vegas tourism leaders hopeful for boost from Manchester flights

Dita Von Teese on Virgin Atlantic

Sam Morris / Las Vegas Sun

Virgin Airlines President Richard Branson and burlesque star Dita Von Teese walk out on the wing of a Virgin Atlantic 747-400 during a media event to mark the 10th anniversary of Virgin Atlantic’s London to Las Vegas route Tuesday, June 15, 2010.

Virgin: 10 Years of Flying to Vegas

Sir Richard Branson celebrated the 10th anniversary of his Virgin Airlines direct flights from London to Las Vegas on Tuesday, June 15. Famous burlesque performer Dita Von Teese joined the celebration to pose in front of her likeness, which has been painted on the nose of one of Virgin's double-decker Boeing 747-400s. Branson also announced that Virgin is adding a twice-weekly flight from Manchester, England, to Las Vegas starting in March 2011.

Dita Von Teese on Virgin Atlantic

Virgin Airlines President Richard Branson carries burlesque star Dita Von Teese on his shoulders during a media event to mark the 10th anniversary of Virgin Atlantic's London to Las Vegas route Tuesday, June 15, 2010. Launch slideshow »

Beyond the Sun

Virgin Atlantic is celebrating its 10th anniversary of flying between Las Vegas and London, and is getting ready to add a new route between Las Vegas and the United Kingdom, promising to deliver more European visitors to Nevada.

Since it began to fly to Las Vegas in June 2000, the airline has carried 2 million people in and out of the city, contributing $1 billion to the local economy, according to estimates from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

“Over the last 10 years, the United Kingdom has become the largest international overseas market for Las Vegas,” said Rossi Ralenkotter, the president of the LVCVA. “When you combine Canada, Mexico and the U.K., it’s 70 percent of all the international visitors coming to our city.”

The new Manchester route will begin in March with flights twice a week, bringing the airline to nine flights a week into Las Vegas. The extra flights will carry 40,000 more passengers into Las Vegas each year, a 30 percent increase, the airline said.

Ralenkotter said the Virgin Atlantic flights are an example of the partnerships Las Vegas needs to establish in other countries.

“We can increase market share from any country by having nonstop service. The Virgin Atlantic flight proved that theory when we started it and we’ve seen the market itself grow,” he said. “So as we go into different countries and cities throughout the globe, we’re going to take this same formula, which we have been doing, to entice additional carriers.”

With the new flight additions, Virgin Atlantic officials said they expect the number of people flying from England to Las Vegas will increase.

“It’s been very interesting in the last year with the slowdown how many British travelers made sure they still had their big trip during the year, their long-haul trip,” said airline Chief Executive Steve Ridgway.

Las Vegas is one of the destinations Britons want to go to, he said, adding there is a “pent-up demand” for the new route.

“There’s been a big clamor in Manchester to put this service on,” Ridgway said.

Las Vegas is the fourth most successful of Virgin Atlantic’s 33 routes, airline President Richard Branson said.

“Vegas is Virgin territory and Virgin is Vegas territory. Both synonymous with having a lot of fun,” he said. “It’s been a tremendous success. People were fed up having to travel to other cities to get here.”

About half of the people who fly from the U.K. to Las Vegas do so through other cities. Ridgway said he hopes the new direct service will appeal to many of them.

In addition, the LVCVA has been stepping up its marketing to foreign destinations, and Congress recently passed the Travel Promotion Act to highlight the United States as a travel destination.

Click to enlarge photo

Virgin Airlines President Richard Branson and burlesque star Dita Von Teese speak to reporters during a media event to mark the 10th anniversary of Virgin Atlantic's London to Las Vegas route Tuesday, June 15, 2010.

“That’s going to also pique interest and create more demand for the United States as well as more demand for Las Vegas,” Ralenkotter said. “With the value proposition that’s in Las Vegas right now, this is the greatest time in the world to visit Las Vegas either for leisure or for business.”

Right now, international residents represent about 14 percent of visitors to Las Vegas, Ralenkotter said. The LVCVA estimates that in five years, foreigners will make up 20 percent of visitors.

While in Las Vegas, Virgin Atlantic also announced it would begin installing a new entertainment system in its planes that will allow travelers to use their cell phones and wireless devices in the air.

“Ultimately, all the things that you do on the ground that you’re used to doing, you can do in the air,” Ridgway said. “Las Vegas is the place to announce this because it’s where we believe, and live and breathe entertainment.”

The new entertainment and phone system will let fliers use their own devices and be billed through their own wireless carriers rather than through the airline.

Branson also pulled off a couple of his trademark publicity stunts while in Nevada, posing Tuesday on the wing of a plane with burlesque performer Dita Von Teese at McCarran International Airport, then donning a tuxedo wetsuit Wednesday to ride a jet ski and “conduct” the Bellagio’s water fountains.

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