Virgin Atlantic has announced it will cease its operations at Gatwick airport and cut more than 3,000 jobs in the UK in the wake of the downturn in business caused by Coronavirus and the global shutdown.

The announcement came as the airline laid out its plans for the future. Virgin Atlantic said it will move its flying programme from Gatwick to Heathrow, but retain its spot at the airport on the Surrey/Sussex border so it can return when customer demand is high enough.

Virgin Atlantic CEO Shai Weiss said further action was needed to reduce costs, preserve cash and protect as many jobs as possible so that the airline can return to profitability in 2021.