Virgin Pause Seoul, Oman Air to Join Avios? Emirates Downgrade Gatwick - News You May Have Missed - 6th July
- Sam
- Jul 6
- 3 min read
In this weeks Sunday post, Virgin Atlantic pause sales of their new route to Seoul, South Korea. Oman Air join the oneworld alliance, but also look set to join Avios? And Emirates downgrade their Gatwick flights.
Virgin Atlantic Pauses Seoul Sales
Virgin Atlantic have temporarily paused ticket sales for its much-anticipated new daily service to Seoul, scheduled to launch on March 29, 2026. The airline, which first announced the route in April and began selling tickets in May, have posted a playful message on its website stating "Seoul's calling – just not quite yet," explaining that they're still finalising the necessary arrangements for the service. While the initial enthusiasm for the South Korean route remains strong, Virgin Atlantic acknowledged that the sales delay stems from pending South Korean permit approvals – a common hurdle in international aviation that requires patience and persistence.
The airline's spokesperson assured customers that the temporary pause is simply administrative rather than a change of heart about the destination. Fortunately for eager travellers, Seoul remains accessible through Virgin Atlantic's website via their codeshare partnership with Korean Air, providing an alternative route to the South Korean capital.
Hopefully Seoul won't be joining Accra on the discard pile...
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Oman Air Joins oneworld; Soon to Join Avios?
Oman Air has officially spread its wings into the oneworld alliance, becoming the 15th member of the global network on June 30, 2025. The Muscat-based carrier's long-awaited entry into the alliance marks a significant milestone that was originally scheduled for 2024 but required additional time to ensure all systems were perfectly aligned. The airline joins an exclusive club that includes the likes of British Airways, American Airlines, and Cathay Pacific, while also becoming the third Middle Eastern member alongside Qatar Airways and Royal Jordanian.
In an interview with Head for Points, Oman Air Chief Commercial Officer Mike Rutter spoke openly about replacing their current loyalty currency with one more widely adopted, Avios perhaps?
“We’re obviously in the process of wanting to ensure that the currency we have in our loyalty program has much more traction than it currently has, particularly given that our guest base is 60% based outside of Oman.”
Such a move would follow Qatar Airways' successful playbook, which abandoned its own Qmiles for Avios. For Oman Air, tapping into Avios would provide instant access to an extensive partner network and proven international appeal. The potential partnership represents a strategic evolution that could elevate the relatively small carrier's loyalty proposition to match its oneworld peers, though travellers will need to wait to see if this speculation becomes reality.
Emirates downgrades Gatwick
Emirates is making a strategic adjustment to its London Gatwick operations, marking the end of an era for the Dubai-based carrier's exclusive A380 service to the UK airport. Starting January 2026, one of the airline's three daily Gatwick flights will transition from the superjumbo to a Boeing 777-300ER, breaking a decade-long tradition of all-A380 operations on the route that began in March 2014.
We had great things to say about Emirates' A380 Economy product when we reviewed it, and we had less good things to say about their Boeing 777 in Economy. Hopefully this change is only temporary, as in our opinion this is a downgrade for Gatwick travellers.
Sam
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