Rain Drives Brits Abroad

The consistently poor British summer has forced more people to plan foreign holidays over the coming long weekend, a major airline has revealed.

Virgin Atlantic said that it will carry 25 per cent more passengers over this year's August bank holiday than it would normally.

In particular, around 9,000 Brits will jet off with Virgin to the US - with LA, New York and San Francisco proving to be especially popular destinations.

Others will be slightly more adventurous and use the airline to visit African hotspots like Nairobi and Johannesburg.

With its almost guaranteed sunshine, Dubai is also proving a draw to Brits in search of some summer rays.

Steve Ridgway, chief executive of Virgin Atlantic, commented: "August bank holiday is traditionally a time when many opt for a holiday but this year's disappointing weather has meant that more Britons than ever are flocking to far-flung destinations worldwide in search of summer sun.

Ironically, the Met Office reported yesterday (August 23rd) that the weekend is shaping up to be hot throughout the UK.

Fine, dry weather is forecast for the whole country and experts said that temperatures could exceed 25 degrees in much of southern England.

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