Virgin Atlantic has announced that it will cease operations from London Heathrow Airport to Mumbai. The last flight will leave London on 2 May and return on 3 May.

Citing a fall in passenger demand and "irrational pricing" by its rivals, Virgin revealed that passenger numbers on the route declined by 18 per cent between January and November 2008.

A spokesperson for Virgin said that the suspension was "temporary" and that the airline would continue to operate flights to other Indian cities.

The representative told Business Traveller: "We will monitor the situation with a view to returning to the route when the economic situation might make it profitable to do so."

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