Virgin Atlantic delays new Accra route to 2025

Virgin Atlantic’s anticipated launch of a new route to Accra, Ghana’s capital has been delayed until winter 2025-26 due to ongoing maintenance challenges with the Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines powering its Boeing 787 Dreamliners.

The airline’s Ghana-bound customers are among those impacted by the delays, as Virgin Atlantic grapples with a backlog in engine servicing caused by supply chain constraints.

The Trent 1000 engines, which have faced recurring maintenance issues over the past decade, have grounded several Dreamliners worldwide.

With Virgin Atlantic’s fleet of 17 Dreamliners, one aircraft is currently grounded, with another expected to face similar issues next year, intensifying scheduling disruptions. The airline has reallocated other planes to maintain service on active routes, but this shift has increased overall fleet maintenance needs.

To address the backlog, Rolls-Royce has established a dedicated Trent 1000 task force aimed at accelerating the production and supply of necessary components.

This year, the company increased its output by one-third to shorten the time engines spend in maintenance, but the disruptions are likely to continue affecting scheduled routes for some time.

In response, Virgin Atlantic has opted to postpone its Accra route to winter 2025-26 and will be in contact with affected customers starting Monday, November 11.

Passengers will be given options to rebook, reschedule, or seek refunds. British Airways has also faced similar issues with the Trent 1000, leading to cancellations on various routes.

SOURCE: NEWS AGENCIES