Virgin appoints new manager

Virgin Atlantic has appointed Justin Bell as the airline’s Commercial Manager for Nigeria.

Bell, a former manager of the airline at Lagos Airport, will be responsible for Virgin’s daily commercial activity in the region and will commence duties in June 2019.

Bell boasts an impressive resume in his 29 years at Virgin Atlantic, starting in reservations and working his way up through the organisation.

He managed the airline’s biggest Clubhouse in Heathrow, regionally managing Virgin’s northern airports, including Manchester and Glasgow, and then establishing superlative levels of operational performance in Lagos, consistently achieving over 90 per cent on time performance and ensuring record levels of reliability, currently tracking at 500-plus days without a cancellation.

The move sees Virgin Atlantic’s present Country Manager, Samuel Lindfield, return to the United Kingdom. Over the 2.5 years of Lindfield’s tenure, the airline’s commercial performance has grown from strength to strength.

From the midst of the currency crisis in 2017, Virgin Atlantic has emerged financially healthier than ever on the route, with record passenger numbers, and a commercial performance trajectory that sets the airline up for continued success.

Bell said: “I’m delighted to be taking up this new role for Virgin Atlantic in a region that Virgin Atlantic has served across two decades. We have built an incredibly positive commercial and operational trajectory, which I will look to develop through my time in role. I have lived in Nigeria for the last six years, and I see the immense potential each day. I look forward to working with our partners in Nigeria to harness that potential into a new reality.

“I’m also delighted to continue working with ALML Nigeria – they have supported us since day one and continue to offer an amazing service for our customers as we work hard to achieve our ambition to become the most loved travel company, in Nigeria and across the world.”