VIRGIN Atlantic doubled its annual profit to almost £42 million in the financial year to the end of February, boosted by a 10% increase in business-class passengers.
Virgin staff will enjoy a profit-sharing bonus of two weeks’ pay as a result – averaging £620 each.
The airline group, which includes Virgin Holidays and Virgin Nigeria Airways, reported a record £1.91 billion in turnover, up 17% year on year.
An 11% rise in passengers took total numbers to 4.9 million, also a record. Virgin attributed the rise in premium passengers to the launch of its Upper Class Suite.
The airline will launch a sixth daily service between New York and Heathrow on Saturday and begin flying between Heathrow and Montego Bay, Jamaica, on Monday.
In addition, the carrier plans a twice-weekly service between Gatwick and Mauritius from November 2007.
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