Virgin looks to Dubai

Virgin Atlantic Airways has said it hopes to capture ten to 12 per cent of the market share within a year when it begins flights to Dubai later this month.

The first Virgin flight to a Middle Eastern destination will travel to the United Arab Emirates from Heathrow on March 28th.

Virgin hopes to attract expatriates and holidaymakers travelling to the Emirate, but must compete with established local airlines like Emirates and Etihad Airways.

"We haven't come in here expecting to take business from everybody," said Andrew Fyfe, Virgin Atlantic's Middle East and India manager.

"We're coming in and offering the Virgin brand... and we're offering a different experience onboard."

Virgin's decision to add Dubai to the list of its destinations reflects the city's global popularity - it is Heathrow's fifth most popular destination and receives 20 million visitors each year.

Dubai authorities have pledged to treble this capacity, investing $12.3 billion on airport development projects over the next 15 years.

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