This story originally appeared on AirlineGeeks.com.
Virgin Atlantic is adding its shortest route, but the flights will only haul freight. On Friday, the carrier announced service between London Heathrow and Brussels.
The airline confirmed the new route will not haul passengers; instead, it will be utilized solely for cargo. It plans to use a mix of Airbus A330-300s and A350-1000s on the route with capacity for up to 50 metric tons of freight per flight.
While the carrier regularly carries belly cargo on long-haul passenger flights, it hasn’t operated freight-only services since the COVID-19 pandemic.
“During the winter period, we will operate services to Brussels, a destination we are familiar with, having flown there successfully during the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Virgin Atlantic commercial chief Juha Jarvinen in a news release. “This new service will transport a range of goods including perishables and pharmaceuticals, offering fast connections for our customers between Brussels and the wider European region and Virgin Atlantic’s extensive route network via London Heathrow.”
The cargo flights will operate between Oct. 27, 2024, and March 29, 2025, the airline said.
