FRI OCT 30 2026-theGBJournal| British international airline Virgin Atlantic marks 25 years of operations in Nigeria with a special awards evening in Lagos, recognising the travel partners whose contributions have helped sustain and grow the airline’s presence in the country over the past quarter of a century.
Held at The George Lagos Hotel on Thursday, 22 October, the event brought together Virgin Atlantic executives, travel industry partners and other stakeholders to commemorate a journey that began in July 2001, when the airline launched its Lagos service with four weekly flights operated by a Boeing 747.
Speaking at the celebration, Virgin Atlantic’s Chief Commercial Officer, Dave Geer, described Nigeria as one of the airline’s most important and established markets within its international network, paying tribute to the travel partners, customers, employees and operational partners who have contributed to its success.
“Technology will never replace relationships. The trust, local knowledge, and customer understanding represented in this room remain fundamental to our success,” Geer said.
He also emphasised the importance of building sustainable partnerships, strengthening customer relationships and ensuring that the airline’s investments continue to support long-term commercial growth.
Virgin Atlantic’s Country Manager – West Africa, Yann Stirton, acknowledged the resilience of Nigerian travel partners, particularly through periods of economic uncertainty, currency volatility and restrictions on ticket inventory.
Highlighting a significant shift in the airline’s commercial performance, Stirton revealed that ticket sales in Nigeria now generate more revenue for the Lagos route than sales in any other market, including the United Kingdom.
“When I arrived in Lagos in September 2023, most of the revenue on this route was sold in the UK. Today, more revenue on this route is sold here in Nigeria than anywhere else in the world,” he said.
“That didn’t happen by accident. It happened because of the people in this room.”
Stirton thanked travel partners for their continued support through challenging market conditions and expressed confidence in building on the relationship in the years ahead.
A major highlight of the evening was the presentation of awards recognising outstanding contributions across commercial performance, innovation, growth, customer advocacy and partnership.
Among the recipients were ALML Travels and Tours, which received the High-Value Partner of the Year award; Wakanow.com, recognised for Digital Innovation and also named Agent of the Year – Retail; and Touchdown Travels, which received the Best Performing – TMC award in the travel management company category.
Other award recipients included 247 Travels, recognised as Best Performing – Retail; Cinderella Travels, which received the Best Revenue Growth award; and FCM Travels and Ajala Travels, both recipients of the Rising Partner award.
The celebration also acknowledged the longstanding contribution of ALML, whose local expertise, operational support and relationships have played an important role in Virgin Atlantic’s Nigerian operations over the years.
Looking ahead, Geer reaffirmed Virgin Atlantic’s commitment to improving the customer experience through continued investment in its fleet, premium cabins and onboard connectivity.
The airline’s $17 billion fleet transformation programme will see Virgin Atlantic operate a fleet of 45 next-generation aircraft by 2028, alongside planned cabin upgrades to its Boeing 787-9 fleet and the introduction of additional Airbus A330neo aircraft.
The carrier is also expanding free, high-speed Starlink Wi-Fi across its fleet, with fleet-wide coverage planned for 2027.
As Virgin Atlantic enters its next chapter in Nigeria, the airline remains focused on deepening its relationships with travel partners, strengthening its commercial position and delivering an even better experience for customers.
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