Virgin Atlantic Expansion Curbed by Heathrow Slots, Branson Says
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Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd., said a shortage of operating slots at London’s Heathrow airport is so acute that its holding back the airline’s expansion.
The limits on slots available at the carrier’s hub means that Virgin Atlantic must scrap an existing route before it can add a new destination, Branson, the British billionaire, said in an interview in Dallas yesterday. The airline is changing its route network to accommodate a partnership with Delta Air Lines Inc., which bought a 49 percent stake last year.