Last updated: 5:25 PM ET, Tue January 7, 2025
WHY IT RATES: Virgin Atlantic has appointed Stephen Goulding as Country Manager for Canada starting January 2025 to support strategic growth, including a new Toronto-London route launching in March 2025. —Janeen Christoff, TravelPulse Managing Editor
Virgin Atlantic is delighted to announce that Stephen Goulding has joined the organisation as Country Manager for Canada beginning on 6 January 2025.
Goulding will support the airline’s strategic growth in Canada, most immediately with the launch of its daily service between Toronto and London Heathrow and in connecting markets across the world. He has driven growth and revenue in the travel, tourism, facilities, and technology sectors for more than 25 years and will continue to do so at Virgin Atlantic.
He has held various leadership roles at WestJet Group Limited, where he achieved record revenue growth, enhanced loyalty program adoption, led market expansion across North America, and worked closely with Delta Air Lines, Virgin Atlantic’s joint venture partner.
Commenting on his new position, Goulding said: “I am thrilled to join the North American team at Virgin Atlantic and expand the airline’s footprint in Canada. Alongside our joint venture partners at Delta and the team at WestJet, we look forward to successful growth and customer acquisition in the Canadian marketplace driving excitement for travel with Virgin Atlantic to London, India and beyond.”
Simon Hawkins, Vice President of the Americas, Virgin Atlantic commented: “We are pleased to welcome Stephen to our commercial team and know he’ll be instrumental in driving our Canadian growth and development. As we continue to champion our premium, personalised experience and London as a destination, we believe there is no one better suited to build excitement and ambition around our product for Canadian customers. We look forward to seeing all he’ll bring to our Americas team.”
Virgin Atlantic will launch a new direct route between Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and London Heathrow (LHR) beginning 30 March 2025, marking the airline’s expansion in North America and into Canada’s financial hub. The route will reinforce the airline’s commitment to the Indian subcontinent and its third largest market with optimal onward connectivity for Canadians travelling to Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, as well as Tel Aviv, Lagos, and Johannesburg via London Heathrow.
Canadian customers can expect a premium, personalised experience at every step of the journey. Virgin Atlantic knows the touchpoints matter most and the experiences that differentiate Virgin Atlantic are driven by its people – the red thread that sets the airline apart.
SOURCE: Virgin Atlantic press release.
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