effective
March 2013. The announcement is "signaling the start of a new network
which will provide regional feed to its long-haul service," according to
the company. Virgin Atlantic chief executive Steve Ridgway added that the new
service "will provide strong competition to overly-dominant British
Airways." Virgin intends to use some of its existing slots to serve the
route and also will apply for slots to be made available by BA parent IAG as
part of the conditions set by the European Commission following
IAG's acquisition of BMI.