Virgin ups flights to Jamaica

Virgin Atlantic has secured the rights to double the number of flights it offers to Jamaica, according to reports.

The Telegraph newspaper says that Richard Branson's airline beat off competition from British Airways to increase its flights to the Caribbean island after Air Jamaica announced it will stop its daily service between Kingston and Heathrow.

According to the paper, Virgin will enter into a code-share agreement with Air Jamaica and, in November, add two flights a week between Heathrow and Kingston.

The airline currently operates two flights a week between the UK and Montego Bay on the island.

It is also believed that Virgin has bought Air Jamaica's Heathrow take-off and landing slots and could use these to increase the frequency of other services.

Currently around 70,000 people fly between London and Jamaica every year, but Virgin Atlantic's chief executive, Steve Ridgway, told the Telegraph: "We are confident of growing the market substantially."