Cash-strapped Virgin Atlantic reveals flights for summer 2021 in bid to generate turnover again

Virgin Atlantic has announced its programme for summer 2021 as the airline looks to get back on it's feet.

Richard Branson's company will operate flights from Heathrow, Manchester, Glasgow and Belfast - but closed their operations at Gatwick.

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It expects to "steadily increase" flights in the second half of this year, before a "further, gradual recovery" in 2021.

Virgin Atlantic will fly to 24 destinations next summer, using only twin-engine aircraft.

The Heathrow to Tel Aviv service will increase to twice per day.

Airlines and the travel industry have been crippled by the coronavirus crisis with border restrictions in place across the globe.

Boris Johnson announced on Sunday that passengers arriving in the UK would face a 14-day quarantine period.

And British Airways chief Willie Walsh said that could delay his airline's attempts to return from July.

Virgin, meanwhile, announced last week that it will not resume Gatwick flights, will reduce its workforce by 3,150 people and will not return to using its seven Boeing 747-400 aircraft, which have four engines.

Chief commercial officer Juha Jarvinen said: "As the Covid-19 crisis stabilises and demand gradually returns, we are looking forward to welcoming our customers back and flying them safely to their favourite destinations.

"We have taken the opportunity to pause, reflect and reshape our 2021 flying programme looking at efficiencies in our fleet and connectivity across our network, to ensure it is fit for the future, flying to the destinations we know our customers love to fly.

"We're delighted that our popular Tel Aviv service, which launched in September 2019, will now increase to double daily, whilst regional flying from Manchester, Glasgow and Belfast will continue to play an important part in offering choice to customers and connecting UK travellers to Orlando, Barbados, Atlanta, New York and Los Angeles."

Flights will be on sale from Saturday.

It emerged on Monday that Virgin Atlantic founder Branson has agreed to sell shares worth around £405 million in his Virgin Galactic space business to raise funds for his struggling airline and leisure businesses.

The businessman has previously warned the carrier will collapse unless it receives Government support and indicated he would be willing to remortgage his private Caribbean island home on Necker Island to raise funds.