Virgin Atlantic provided BAA, which ran both Heathrow and Gatwick on behalf of the UK government, and the Secretary of State for Transport granted permission. The Civil Aviation Authority also transferred two pairs of unused landing slots that British Airways held at Tokyo's Narita Airport to Virgin to let it increase its frequency between Heathrow and Tokyo from four to six weekly round trips, making it easier for Virgin to compete against British Airways. The then-chairman of BA Lord King called the CAA's decision, which the government had endorsed, "a confiscation of his company's property". In the year to October 1993, Virgin
Virgin Atlantic move some of its Manchester-based Boeing 747 and Airbus A330 aircraft to cover routes out of London Heathrow. In 2016, A spokesman for Rolls Royce which manufacturers the Trent 1000s said the company "would start producing new corrosion-resistant fan blades by the start of 2017". Virgin Atlantic has had to temporarily park some of its 787s while they wait for attention. In place of these aircraft Virgin Atlantic has chosen to lease four former Air Berlin A330-200 aircraft, which will be based in Manchester. The A330-200 aircraft will arrive from 2018, with full Virgin Atlantic liveries, but with former Air