Virgin Atlantic Cargo’s recent announcement to start daily cargo-only flights between London and Brussels has caused a stir in the industry. The flights, operated on A330-300s and A350-1000s with a 50-tonne cargo capacity, are designed for time-critical goods such as perishables and pharmaceuticals. The service will run from October 27th to March 29th.
This move is not Virgin’s first venture into cargo-only operations. In 2022, the airline wet-leased an A321 freighter for a near-daily route to Brussels, primarily transporting pharma, perishables, and ecommerce goods. The decision to use passenger widebody aircraft for cargo has raised concerns about economics and emissions.
Despite criticisms from some industry experts about the efficiency and environmental impact of using widebody aircraft for cargo, Virgin is confident in the service’s potential. The airline stated that the destination of the goods could vary from their US destinations like Seattle, New York, and Los Angeles to point-to-point shipments between Brussels and London.
While some question the decision to operate the cargo-only flights, citing faster and more environmentally friendly trucking options, others see potential benefits in streamlining processes and ensuring smoother border crossings, especially in light of Brexit-related challenges. Virgin’s Chief Commercial Officer emphasized the importance of the new service in providing fast connections for perishables and pharmaceuticals between Brussels and the wider European region.
