Virgin Atlantic To HNL?

This morning's Star*Bulletin Business section headlined an article in which Virgin Atlantic Airways (VS/VIR) founder and CEO Sir Richard Branson expressed interest in beginning non-stop service between LHR (Heathrow International Airport, London, UK) and HNL. No exact timetable was announced, but Sir Richard did announce that his airline is looking to expand within the next year, to new cities with HNL, PER (Perth, Australia), ORD (O'Hare Int'l, Chicago, IL), NBO (Nairobi, Kenya), and MRU (Maruitius) being on the top of his list.

Branson also announced the order (15 confirmed) of the new Boeing 787-9 "Dreamliner", plus options for more.

Here's the BBC News link.

If this VS flight comes to fruition, it will be the first scheduled airline service from the UK, since BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corporation - BA) served HNL with their 707-436s and VC-10s back in the 60s and early 70s. I know Pan Am Hawaii will back me up on that one. VS did not say which aircraft would be used. Their 747-400s and A340-600s should be able to make the flight. Pix were taken by Michael Carter in the Airliners.net photo links, and here's a link to the forum discussion.