Following the confirmation of a Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union on 24 December 2020, the Brexit transition period ends on 31 December 2020 and the new free trade deal takes effect from 1 January 2021.
Virgin Atlantic is prepared for the end of the transition period, with our priority to protect the interests of our customers and ensure your travel plans continue smoothly.
Normal flight operations
The open skies agreement between the UK and US, agreed in November 2018, and existing bilateral air service agreements with other key markets, such as China and India, will ensure that all our passenger flights will continue to operate as normal.
Connecting passengers to/from EU
Virgin Atlantic does not operate any direct passenger services between the UK and EU. However, for our customers connecting to or from an EU country at Heathrow or Manchester via a Virgin Atlantic service, the deal ensures seamless air connectivity is maintained.
As ever, due to the dynamic situation for international travel currently, we urge all customers to check the Covid-19 entry requirements or restrictions of each individual country you are visiting or transiting through.
Robust plans in place
Working closely with partners, including airports, our teams have robust plans in place for any changes that come into force from 1 January 2021, to keep our planes flying and our customers moving. Although there have been some changes to our passenger schedule due to global travel restrictions, our remaining scheduled services will continue as normal.
The safety and security of our customers and our people is always our number one priority and we will continue to operate safely and in accordance with all applicable regulations, with the published deal securing aviation safety terms in line with precedent.
Our customers will also still be covered by all existing consumer protections after Brexit, including EU261 compensation, which has been transposed into UK law.
Preparing for your journey
We encourage all customers due to travel with us to check the details of their flight at www.virginatlantic.com and to always ensure their contact details are added to their booking. If you’re flying through London Heathrow, you may also wish to refer to the airport’s recently-updated FAQs. The UK Government has also published useful information for people travelling within Europe after 1 January 2021.
