Virgin Atlantic Airways officially joins SkyTeam

Virgin Atlantic Airways joined (02-Mar-2023) SkyTeam at a signing ceremony in London, becoming the alliance's first UK member airline. Virgin Atlantic customers will benefit from booking every SkyTeam member flight on a single ticket, checking in with baggage just once through their final destination. The move builds on the carrier's 2019 trans-Atlantic JV partnership with Delta Air Lines and Air France-KLM and is expected to enhance its trans-Atlantic network to and from London Heathrow Airport and Manchester Airport, as previously reported by CAPA. Codeshare agreements are already in place with Aeromexico and Middle East Airlines, with options for more codeshares to follow later in 2023. SkyTeam CEO and MD Patrick Roux stated: "We are delighted to welcome Virgin Atlantic into SkyTeam, taking an already close relationship to new heights and elevating our customer offering with more routes to exciting destinations and access to aspirational airport lounges... The UK is a key market for SkyTeam and with Virgin Atlantic on board, customers can look forward to more opportunities to earn and redeem miles as they fly, enjoying the iconic travel experience that makes our newest member a globally loved airline". [more - original PR]