PHUKET, Thailand – Phuket welcomed Virgin Atlantic’s inaugural flight from London Heathrow on October 19, opening a new direct connection between the United Kingdom and Thailand’s largest island ahead of the Andaman coast’s high season.
Flight VS214 departed Heathrow on October 18 and arrived in Phuket with 258 passengers. Representatives of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), Phuket International Airport and Virgin Atlantic welcomed the arrivals and presented commemorative souvenirs.
TAT Deputy Governor for Europe, the Americas, the Middle East and Africa Markets Jirawadee Khunsap said Virgin Atlantic will operate three flights per week between London and Phuket.
Together with services operated by Norse Atlantic Airways and TUI Airways, the new route will bring the number of direct flights from the United Kingdom to Phuket to 11 per week, adding more than 3,000 seats per month, according to TAT.
Virgin Atlantic operates the seasonal service using a Boeing 787-9, providing the only nonstop connection between London Heathrow and Phuket. The route gives British travellers another way to reach southern Thailand without changing aircraft.
Flights depart Heathrow on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, arriving in Phuket the following morning. Return flights leave Phuket on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The service covers the British winter holiday season, coinciding with a key period for tourism along Thailand’s Andaman coast.
The inaugural passengers included 29 representatives from Barrhead Travel, led by Managing Director Nicki Tempest-Mitchell, participating in a TAT familiarisation programme. Their visit gives British travel sellers first-hand experience of Thailand’s destinations and tourism offerings to help support future bookings.
The launch was also celebrated at Heathrow, where TAT’s London Office organised an “Amazing Phuket Send Off” featuring Thai classical dance and Phuket-themed displays. Thai Ambassador to the United Kingdom Nadhavathna Krishnamra and Virgin Atlantic representatives attended the event.
The new connection is expected to appeal to British travellers seeking warmer weather, beach holidays and longer stays during the winter months. Phuket’s resorts, wellness facilities, restaurants and island excursions remain central attractions, while Phuket Old Town offers visitors opportunities to explore local food, architecture and cultural heritage.
The island also serves as a gateway to neighbouring destinations, allowing travellers to extend their holidays to Khao Lak, Phang Nga Bay, Krabi and surrounding islands.
TAT said the additional capacity supports its “Airline Focus” and “Value over Volume” tourism strategy, which seeks to encourage higher-value travel, longer stays and greater spending across local economies.
For Phuket and the wider Andaman region, the service could generate additional business for hotels, restaurants, transport providers, guides and excursion operators as the high season gathers pace. The combination of more direct flights and greater exposure through British travel agents strengthens the region’s access to the UK holiday market.
