PHUKET, Thailand, 21 October 2026: Phuket gains a direct air link to London Heathrow following the introduction of Virgin Atlantic’s three weekly flights on 18 October.
The new seasonal nonstop service operates every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday during the airline’s 2026–2027 UK winter season.
Representatives from the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Phuket International Airport and Virgin Atlantic joined the welcoming ceremony and greeted arriving passengers on Monday 19 October.
Virgin Atlantic posted the news on its Facebook page, noting: “Our first flight has officially taken off, with ‘Queen Bee’ leading our new direct service from London Heathrow Airport to Phuket, Thailand, as the only UK airline to fly this route.”
The airline assigned a 258-seat Dreamliner 787-9, named Queen Bee, to the 12-hour-and-15-minute LHR-HKT flight.
TAT Deputy Governor for International Marketing – Europe, the Americas, the Middle East and Africa, Chiravadee Khunsub said, “Virgin Atlantic’s new service gives UK travellers greater access to Phuket during the winter season.
“Under TAT’s Airline Focus and Value over Volume directions, we are working with airline and travel trade partners to convert additional flight capacity into high-value tourism.”
The inaugural flight departed London Heathrow on 18 October and arrived in Phuket on 19 October.
Flight schedule
VS214 departs London Heathrow (LHR) on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 1545 and arrives in Phuket at 0955 plus a day.
VS215 departs Phuket (HKT) on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 1145 and arrives at London Heathrow (LHR) at 1925.
Among the passengers were 29 Barrhead Travel representatives, led by Managing Director Nicki Tempest-Mitchell, participating in TAT’s Joint Agent: Top Sellers Fam Trip. The programme offers UK travel sellers first-hand experience of Thailand’s tourism products and destinations to support future sales.
The route complements existing UK–Thailand nonstop services. Thai Airways International and EVA Air operate 21 weekly flights between London Heathrow and Bangkok. At the same time, British Airways, TUI, and Norse Atlantic Airways offer seasonal connections from London Gatwick and Manchester to Bangkok and Phuket.
TAT’s London Office partnered with Virgin Atlantic on a UK marketing campaign to stimulate travel for late 2026 and early 2027. Combining digital advertising, Thailand-themed promotions at Virgin Atlantic Holidays outlets, email newsletters, and in-store displays, the campaign generated 9,079 bookings on the London Heathrow–Phuket route and reached at least 5.41 million people.
The UK ranks among Thailand’s five highest tourism revenue-generating markets. In 2025, UK arrivals surpassed 1 million for the first time, generating THB74,515 million, up 21.7% year on year. From 1 January to 3 September 2026, Thailand welcomed 682,684 UK visitors, with demand showing improvement ahead of the winter season.
UK travellers stay an average of 14.18 days and spend THB61,615 per person per trip. First-time visitors account for 56.99% and repeat visitors 43.01%. Leading destinations for UK travellers include Bangkok, Krabi, Phuket, Surat Thani and Chiang Mai, reflecting demand for Thailand’s combination of coastal holidays, culture, gastronomy, wellness and nature-based experiences.
(Source: TAT plus Virgin Atlantic)
