Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic Airways have outlined details of a new joint venture flight schedule beginning summer 2014, aligning their services and offering more flight choices for travellers on both sides of the Atlantic.

Delta acquired a 49 per cent stake in Virgin from Singapore Airlines earlier this year.

The two airlines are putting the customer at the forefront of their partnership with the new schedule that starts March 30th, 2014, combining their slots at London Heathrow to offer maximum customer convenience, particularly for business travellers.

Beginning, April 2nd, 2014, Delta will move its arrival and departure terminal for several important business markets to join Virgin Atlantic in Heathrow Terminal 3.

This includes its London to New York-JFK, London to Boston, and new London to Seattle services and means the two airlines will co-locate on all New York and Boston flights to London Heathrow.

The move will allow for convenient connections and a seamless customer experience for customers flying with Virgin and Delta, including access to Virgin Atlantic’s award winning Clubhouse for all business class passengers. 

“We are working on a series of improvements to enhance the travel experience for our customers,” said Craig Kreeger, Virgin Atlantic chief executive.

“We already co-locate together at New York’s JFK airport and moving some of Delta’s key business flights to join Virgin Atlantic at Heathrow’s Terminal 3 will enhance convenience, and reduce connection times.

“This demonstrates how our new partnership is going to be making a real difference for customers.”

Delta, in co-operation with Virgin Atlantic, will also operate a second daily service between London Heathrow and Detroit Metropolitan Airport effective June 2nd, 2014.

The service will be particularly appealing to corporate customers needing an early morning arrival into London while offering more schedule choice for customers between London and the U.S. Midwest. 

This additional flight will complement Delta’s previously announced new West Coast route between Seattle and London Heathrow, which will launch on March 30th, 2014.

Virgin Atlantic is also making significant schedule changes.

It is moving its VS1 Heathrow to Newark service from a late afternoon departure to a morning departure.

This flight will be particularly attractive to business travellers: it will allow ‘same-day meetings’ to be held in the New Jersey area, while an earlier departure on the return flight means passengers can be in central London for the start of the working day.

This service is part of nine daily flights between London Heathrow and the New York area by the joint venture partners.