This petition stems from a news article dated July 26, 2022 Virgin Atlantic flight VS141 from London’s Heathrow Airport was forced to land in Salt Lake City around 4:30 p.m due to a passenger disturbance onboard. The culprit, a 39-year-old British man named William Stephen Hayes, was removed by airport security, According to Salt Lake City Police, the passenger had to be physically restrained by other passengers and the flight crew. 

This incident highlighted the need for Virgin Atlantic to consider regular flights to Salt Lake City, Utah. Not only would this provide more options for passengers but it could also serve as an additional emergency landing location if needed.

Salt Lake City International Airport is one of the busiest airports in the United States and has been ranked as one of the best airports based on customer satisfaction according to J.D Power's North America Airport Satisfaction Study (2019). It is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities that can accommodate international flights and has proven its efficiency during unexpected situations like ours.

By starting service in Salt Lake City, Virgin Atlantic would be expanding its network and providing more travel options for passengers. This move could potentially increase their market share and improve their reputation among travelers who value flexibility and convenience.

Scraping by into the list is the route between SLC and London Heathrow Airport (LHR), a hub for Virgin Atlantic. However, unlike other European destinations from the capital of the state of Utah, Delta Air Lines serves the flights to LHR with an Airbus A330-200, an older generation of aircraft compared to the Airbus A330-900.

As such, there are fewer seats, although much like on flights to AMS and CDG, Delta Air Lines has seven weekly itineraries to the capital of the United Kingdom. However, the airline will reduce flights between SLC and LHR to five weekly by the upcoming summer season. In addition, Delta Air Lines deployed an A330-900 on the route during the last peak summer season, so the airline will significantly reduce its capacity compared to 2023.

Nevertheless, Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic announced the route in August 2015, planning to begin flights between SLC and LHR in May 2016, with it being a seasonal route at first. At the time, its flights to AMS were also seasonal, according to the announcement published by the airport.

We Ask you all who have experienced or understand the importance of having multiple flight options for better accessibility and safety measures during emergencies like ours, please sign this petition allowing Virgin Atlantic to start service in Salt Lake City. Your support will make a difference!