Virgin Atlantic has revealed that it intends to launch a business class airline in the near future.

The airline said that it is planning to offer transatlantic business-only flights from London, as well as from other locations in Europe.

"In the next 12 to 18 months we will start a business-only airline. We'll serve New York initially and then other US cities," a spokesman for the carrier said on Monday.

Under the new plans, business class passengers will be able to fly to New York from cities such as Paris, Amsterdam and Milan.

The announcement comes shortly after established business class airline Silverjet announced that it has postponed the launch of its second daily New York service to late July due to aircraft maintenance checks.

It has also said that it is to acquire two Boeing 767-200 extended range aircraft capable of flying long-haul to destinations such as Delhi, Johannesburg, Mauritius and Shanghai.

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