London Heathrow Airport (LHR) has sparked a furious response from Virgin Atlantic after ordering joint venture partner Delta Air Lines to relocate from Terminal 3 to Terminal 4 in 2028. Sky News reports that the decision follows a major review of terminal occupancy, with Virgin warning that separating the airlines could increase fares and undermine competition. The two carriers have shared Terminal 3 since 2016, building an integrated transatlantic operation offering convenient connections and premium facilities.
Virgin chief executive Corneel Koster warned: "If implemented in 2028, Heathrow's decision to separate Delta Air Lines from Virgin Atlantic would create friction for customers, weaken competition, and reduce choice. As all other airports seek to co-locate joint venture partners, Heathrow has chosen to split ours after more than a decade together." The move would complicate connections, potentially increasing transfer times and requiring additional security screening, and premium passengers would lose convenient access to Virgin's Terminal 3 Clubhouse, Upper Class Wing, and Revivals Lounge. Meanwhile, British Airways and American Airlines benefit from substantial co-location at Terminal 5.
Heathrow maintains that its proposals will improve capacity, reduce congestion, and accommodate growth. A Heathrow spokesperson told Sky News: "As demand at Heathrow continues to grow, these small number of moves will unlock more capacity across terminals, reduce congestion, improve the flow of passengers, and help keep costs down." The airport says airlines representing 81% of passengers support the plan, though the British Airways-American Airlines joint venture represents nearly 70% of all Heathrow-US traffic. Virgin says it will consider "all available options" to challenge the outcome, potentially involving the Civil Aviation Authority, the Competition and Markets Authority, or the courts, while Delta has yet to comment publicly.