VIRGIN ATLANTIC TO ADD CODESHARE SERVICES TO KANSAS CITY AND MILWAUKEE

Virgin Atlantic Airways today announced a codeshare agreement with Midwest Express Airlines which will enable Virgin Atlantic passengers to fly to Milwaukee and Kansas City from London Gatwick via Virgin’s connecting service through Boston.

The two airlines have today signed a Memorandum of Understanding to enter a codeshare agreement. The agreement is subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to come into effect by the end of 2001.

Virgin Atlantic operates a daily service between London Gatwick and Boston which under this agreement will connect with Midwest Express non-stop services from Boston to both Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Kansas City, Missouri. Both the Midwest Express and Virgin Atlantic segments will carry the Virgin Atlantic VS designator code.

The benefits of this codeshare are that passengers can book their entire flight on a single ticket and earn either Virgin Atlantic flying club or Midwest Express Frequent Flyer miles on all legs of their journey.

Steve Ridgway, Managing Director of Virgin Atlantic, said:

“I’m delighted that Virgin Atlantic and Midwest Express are to codeshare on flights between London and both Milwaukee and Kansas City.

“Virgin Atlantic and Midwest Express are ideal partners – we both began our operations in June 1984, we have a very successful frequent flyer relationship and we both have an unparalleled commitment to service. Since the inception of Conde Nast Traveler’s airline awards in 1998 Virgin Atlantic and Midwest Express have been voted the “Best Transatlantic Business Class” and “Best Domestic US Business Class” every year.

“We have been very happy with the success of our service to Chicago which launched in November 1999. The addition of more major business centres like Milwaukee and Kansas City to our route network demonstrates our commitment to the Midwest.”

Milwaukee, located 90 minutes north of Chicago, is the 19th largest city in the US with over 1.5 million people. It is the home of the headquarters of many famous companies including Midwest Express, Miller Brewing Company and Harley-Davidson. Milwaukee is the gateway to the picturesque lake areas of Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Kansas City, which straddles the Missouri and Kansas borders, is known as the “Heart of America” and the metropolitan area is home for 1.9 million people. Amongst the corporations based there are Hallmark Cards and Sprint.

Over the last two years, Virgin Atlantic has added a significant number of new routes including Shanghai, Chicago, Cape Town, Las Vegas, Delhi, Toronto and Lagos and increased frequencies to a number of destinations.

Virgin Atlantic has enjoyed huge popularity, winning top business, consumer and trade awards from around the world. The airline has pioneered a range of innovations setting new standards of service, which its competitors have subsequently sought to follow. Virgin Atlantic was recently named “Airline of the Year” 2001 by OAG and for the third consecutive year, the airline was voted “Best Transatlantic Airline” by Conde Nast Traveler’s readers.

Virgin Atlantic currently provides services from London to eleven North American gateways: New York (JFK), Newark, Los Angeles, Orlando, Chicago, San Francisco, Washington (Dulles), Miami, Boston, Las Vegas and Toronto, Canada, in addition to this new service to Milwaukee and Kansas City. From London, the carrier also serves South Africa, Greece, Japan, Hong Kong, the Caribbean, China, India, Canada and Nigeria.