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British Airways Challenges Virgin Atlantic Over London-Vegas Nonstops

Filed under: Wings


You wouldn't think that the Las Vegas to London route would be a popular flight but it seems that rivals British Airways and Virgin Atlantic are in a battle for Vegas supremacy. The first nonstop British Airways flight from London to Las Vegas landed Sunday night at McCarran International Airport. Passengers on the inaugural flight included Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman and British Airways CEO Willie Walsh, who was making his first trip to Las Vegas. The picture above shows the water arch used to honor maiden flights.

British Airways plans to run flights on twin-engine Boeing 777s from London to Las Vegas and they are offering some pretty tempting rates. BNET reports that it costs just $276 for roundtrip economy flights from November 2 to December 20 and December 24 to March 28 if tickets are purchased this week. British Airways' London-Las Vegas flights will have 36 business seats, 24 economy plus seats and 212 regular economy seats. Virgin Atlantic has been doing this run since 2006 but British Airways has the advantage of flying out of Heathrow International Airport while Virgin flies out of the less-centrally-located Gatwick International Airport.

Qantas Business Class on Sale

Filed under: Journeys, Wings


One good definition of hell: flying 16+ hours in coach. And it's antipodean opposite: flying that long in Qantas business class, which I did a couple of years ago, LAX to Auckland. Not only was I totally comfy in my near lie-flat seat with privacy screen, not only did I totally dig the mood lighting that changed as the trip went on (meant, I think to bring the body clock into some semblance of sync), but I boarded the plane with a bad cold, and I disembarked without it.

Okay, I can't credit the flight with that, per se, but I can almost promise you I wouldn't have been in any kind of reasonable condition had I flown the distance in economy.

From now until October 29th, 2009, you can get into the Qantas business class cabin to Sydney and Brisbane from LAX or SFO for $4,439, and fares from New York (JFK) starting at $4,943. (Travel from 330 days on from the reservation date.) That's about 40% off the regular fair, so if you know you've got travel Down Under up coming in 2010, this is a deal you won't want to miss.


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