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 Gorda Airport via a code sharing agreement served Virgin Gorda as well primarily with flights between the airport and San Juan as well as the U.S. Virgin Islands. This wholly owned subsidiary of Metro Airlines operated de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter STOL (short take off and landing) turboprop aircraft. Other airlines which served Virgin Gorda with Twin Otter aircraft were Crown Air/Dorado Wings and Virgin Island Airways with these commuter air carriers operating nonstop flights between the airport and San Juan. Before introducing service with larger Twin Otter aircraft, Dorado Wings operated smaller Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander aircraft into the airport. Another