Virgin Atlantic Sets New London-Accra Flight Date | By Dominick Andoh
Virgin Atlantic has postponed its planned return to the Accra market indefinitely, pushing back what was expected to be the airline’s first service to Ghana in more than a decade.
The London-based carrier had been scheduled to launch daily flights between London and Accra from May 1, 2025, using a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. However, AviationGhana sources have confirmed that the airline has delayed the launch due to ongoing engine availability challenges affectingits Boeing fleet, with at least one Boeing 787 currently unavailable.
The delay is linked to wider issues at Rolls-Royce, the manufacturer of the Trent 1000 engines that power Virgin Atlantic’s Boeing 787 aircraft. Rolls-Royce has been struggling to secure critical spare parts from suppliers, largely due to difficulties sourcing specialised electronic components and titanium. These constraints have slowed maintenance cycles, affected fleet availability across multiple airlines, and limited the manufacturer’s ability to meet both servicing and new demand.
Virgin Atlantic has now formally acknowledged the postponement. In a response to AviationGhana’s press enquiry on Wednesday January 8, 2026, A Virgin Atlantic spokesperson said: “As we continue to optimise our network, we have taken the difficult decision to delay the launch of our new service to Accra from May 2025. Tickets are not yet on sale.”
AviationGhana first revealed in September 2024 that Virgin Atlantic would return to Ghana for the first time since 2013, with daily services to Kotoka International Airport. The planned entry was expected to inject much-needed competition on the London–Accra–London route, which is currently dominated by British Airways.
British Airways maintains a strong presence on the route, operating up to 11 weekly flights across London Heathrow and London Gatwick.
In anticipation of Virgin’s entry, Ghana and the United Kingdom amended their Bilateral AirService Agreement (BASA) to allow the airline to operate up to seven weekly flights. Prior to the amendment, the agreement permitted 11 frequencies per side, with British Airways already utilising 10 of the UK’s allocation.
With Virgin Atlantic now delaying its return until further notice, the revised BASA capacity remains unused, and the Accra market will continue to rely on existing operators in the near term, as fleet and engine supply challenges persist across the global aviation industry.
Virgin Atlantic Sets New London-Accra Flight Date | Editorial enquiries to AviationGhana.info@gmail.com | Marketing & Adverts Enquiries WhatsApp: +233 24 3376878 |AviationGhana
