The Hindu : Virgin Atlantic plans to shift back office operations

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Nov 26, 2003

Business

Business

Virgin Atlantic plans to shift back office operations

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD NOV. 25. The U.K. based pound sterling 4 billion Virgin Atlantic Group is planning to gradually shift the group's back office operations to India over the next 12 months.

A beginning has been made, with Virgin signing an agreement with ICICI One Source to commence back office operations from Bangalore from December/January, according to Steve Ridgeway, Chief Executive of Virgin Atlantic Airways.

Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, Mr. Ridgeway said ICICI would be initially doing a pilot project. The picture would be clearer by June next, he said, when asked about the quantum of back office operations to be shifted to India.

Mr. Ridgeway, who met the Union Civil Aviation Minister before coming to Hyderabad, said India offered immense potential and it should continue to liberalise and open up air services.

They hoped that the Government would come out with a medium to long-term roadmap in the new aviation policy.

Only then can we make long-term investment commitments, he pointed out, even while expressing happiness about the limited period `open sky' offers being made by India.

This time the offer is from December 1 to February 20.

Virgin Atlantic at present runs three services a week between Delhi and London. Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bangalore are next on their expansion plans.

The chief executive said once the runway in Hyderabad was expanded, or the new International airport came up they would like to focus on Hyderabad also.

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