Virgin Atlantic to launch codeshare with Korean Air
- Codeshare between London Heathrow and Seoul Incheon to launch this Saturday, 25th March.
- Agreement will be expanded to include further destinations in Asia and Australasia from June.
- With Virgin Atlantic’s recent enrolment into the SkyTeam alliance, customers will be able to earn and redeem Virgin Points and take advantage of SkyPriority benefits.
Virgin Atlantic has announced a new codeshare agreement with Korean Air, offering customers more opportunities to fly seamlessly to South Korea and beyond.
The first phase of the agreement, which launches on 25 March, will allow customers booking through Virgin Atlantic the opportunity to travel directly to Incheon Airport, in South Korea’s capital, Seoul. By June customers will be able to connect onwards from Seoul to a variety of destinations throughout Japan, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand.
The codeshare with Korean Air is a first step towards Virgin Atlantic's entry to Seoul and is set to enhance the airline’s network in Asia. From May, services to Shanghai, China will resume, alongside an expanded codeshare with IndiGo throughout India and beyond.
Korean Air is one of the founding members of the SkyTeam alliance, of which Virgin Atlantic joined earlier this month. Virgin Atlantic Flying Club members will be able to take advantage of SkyPriority services at Seoul Incheon, including priority check in, baggage handling and boarding.
Juha Jarvinen, Chief Commercial Officer at Virgin Atlantic, commented:
“We’re pleased to launch a codeshare with Korean Air, as we know such agreements bring an array of benefits to our customers. As one of Asia’s major carriers, Virgin Atlantic customers can benefit from its extensive route network, that will offer more choice throughout Asia and Australasia.
“Our enrolment into SkyTeam, of which Korean Air is a founding member, enhances customers benefits further. Our Flying Club members can enjoy SkyPriority benefits at both London Heathrow and Seoul Incheon as well as earning and redeeming miles across Korean Air’s network.”
Destinations available for onward connections;
Date |
Destinations |
May 2023 |
Brisbane, Sydney, Auckland, Da Nang, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City |
June 2023 |
Hong Kong, Fukuoka, Kansai, Tokyo Haneda, Nagoya, Tokyo Narita, Okinawa |
For further information please contact the Virgin Atlantic Press Office on press.office@fly-virgin.com or call 01293 747 373.
About Virgin Atlantic
Virgin Atlantic was founded by entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson in 1984, with innovation and amazing customer service at its core. In 2022, Virgin Atlantic was voted Britain’s only Global Five Star Airline by APEX for the sixth year running in the Official Airline Ratings. Headquartered in London, it employs over 7,500 people worldwide, flying customers to 28 destinations across four continents. Virgin Atlantic recently continued its expansion in the US, announcing a new route to Tampa from November 2022, following the launch of flights to Austin in May 2022.
Alongside shareholder and Joint Venture partner Delta Air Lines, Virgin Atlantic operates a leading transatlantic network, with onward connections to over 200 cities around the world. On 3 February 2020, Air France-KLM, Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic launched an expanded Joint Venture, offering a comprehensive route network, convenient flight schedules, competitive fares and reciprocal frequent flyer benefits, including the ability to earn and redeem miles across all carriers. Virgin Atlantic joined global airline alliance SkyTeam on 02 March 2023. It is SkyTeam’s first and only UK member airline, opening up a global network of airlines for customers to earn and redeem points. The airline’s Flying Club members can now utilise a raft of new benefits through SkyPriority services.
Sustainability remains central to the airline, which is committed to achieving net zero by 2050. To meet this goal, Virgin Atlantic welcomed the first of 16 A330-900neos in October 2022. The A330-900neos are equipped with the most fuel-efficient engines and designed to be 11% more fuel and carbon efficient than the A330-300s that they replace and deliver a 50% reduction in airport noise contour. These investments reaffirm the airline’s dedication to flying one of the youngest and most fuel-efficient fleets in the skies, resulting in the reduction of carbon emissions by 20%, increasing to 30% in 2027.
For more information visit www.virginatlantic.com or via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @virginatlantic.