Virgin Atlantic has made its inaugural flight on the new London to Vancouver service. Flights will initially operate four times a week from London Heathrow to Vancouver throughout the summer up until October 27th 2012.

Virgin Atlantic is to offer passengers a chance to use their own mobile phones during flights, following a link up with Panasonic-owned AeroMobile. Passengers flying on the carrier’s A330 service from London-to New York will be able to make calls initially, with as many as 20 planes fitted with the technology by the end of 2012.

Virgin Atlantic is launched a renewed online digital strategy, including a revamped website. The move comes after bespoke research from eDigitalResearch suggested the carrier could see immediate benefits and return on investment.

Fifteen passengers were injured during an emergency landing of a Virgin Atlantic flight at Gatwick Airport yesterday. The Virgin Atlantic flight VS27 to Orlando was carrying 299 passengers and had reached 20,000 feet when a technical problem forced the plane to turn around.

Virgin Atlantic is set to appeal against the European Commission’s decision to allow IAG, BA’s parent company, to acquire BMI for £172.5m. Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson claims that the deal, which gained regulatory approval on 30 March, could damage the aviation industry for years to come.

Virgin Atlantic has confirmed it will employ as many as 500 new cabin crew in coming months as it continues to expand its route network. The positions will be based at London Heathrow and London Gatwick airports the transatlantic carrier said in a statement earlier.