Premier Welcomes Virgin Atlantic Airways to B.C.

VANCOUVER - Premier Christy Clark welcomed Sir Richard Branson and Virgin Atlantic Airways to British Columbia for the airline's inaugural flight from London, U.K. to Vancouver, B.C. that landed at YVR today.

"We are delighted that Virgin Atlantic has chosen to open up this new service route to Vancouver," said Premier Clark. "We want YVR to be a top destination for passengers and cargo which means more jobs in the transportation and tourism sectors, and that's good for B.C. families. This new service will bring approximately 40,000 people a year to B.C. It will be a boon to our economy and strengthen our already close ties to the U.K. market."

The new flights add an additional 960 seats per week from the U.K. between May and October.

Up to 40,000 passengers are expected to use the four-days-a-week service, which will create an estimated 35 jobs at YVR. According to the Vancouver International Airport ...