Virgin plans expansion with 1,400 more jobs

Virgin Atlantic chairman Richard Branson announced plans to expand his airline with two new aircraft, extra routes and 1,400 more staff.

The airline said it will order two more Airbus A340-600 wide-body aircraft.

Virgin Atlantic Airways is part of Branson's Virgin Group, a conglomerate of more than 200 media, travel, and entertainment businesses he created.

He said: "There are encouraging signs that the market, particularly the all-important business travel sector, is returning to health."

The new jobs include 700 cabin crew and 70 flight-deck posts at Heathrow and Gatwick Airports.

The announcement has confirmed previous press reports.

Virgin Atlantic, which is 49% owned by Singapore Airlines, has said it will begin flying twice weekly from London Gatwick Airport to Havana, Cuba and once a week to Nassau in the Bahamas from July 2005.

It is also announced plans to increase frequencies on US, Caribbean, Asian and Far East routes.