This week Virgin Atlantic launched the first ever direct flight from Manchester to San Francisco as the airline expands its services from the North of England.
This new route marks the start of 3 new routes from Manchester, with Boston and New York JFK to follow shortly.
More than 20 tech leaders from the North of England were present on the inaugural flight to San Francisco as they made their way to Silicon Valley on a trade mission.
Experts predict that the new flights will give the technology sector a boost by encouraging “super-commuting” as entrepreneurs set up shop in both cities.
The San Francisco route will operate three times weekly on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays, departing Manchester at 1120 and arriving in San Francisco at 1440 local time. The return leg leaves San Francisco at 1750, arriving at 1140 local time.
The route will be a seasonal route running from March to October, operated by an Airbus A330-300 featuring 33 business class (“Upper Class”) seats.
Passengers will be an 11-hour flight away from visiting world famous landmarks such as Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz and Fisherman’s Wharf. It is hoped that ‘Man-Fran’ will have a significant impact on the North West region.
Speaking at Manchester Airport, Virgin Atlantic’s Chief Commercial Officer, Shai Weiss, commented;
“We’ve been flying out of Manchester for over 20 years and today marks our biggest ever route expansion from the city. We want to offer our customers the best possible service to places they want to travel , so this summer, we’ll have over 25% more seats out of the city than last year, firmly cementing our commitment to Manchester and the northern powerhouse.”
In additional to San Francisco, Virgin Atlantic will also launch twice-weekly flights from Manchester to Boston on Wednesday 29th April, as flights from Manchester to New York JFK in May. The Boston route will operate during the summertime, while New York will be a year-round service.
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