Virgin Atlantic has started operating flights on its brand new route between Gatwick Airport and Kingston in Jamaica.

The direct services fly four times a week between the two destinations and their launch was marked by Virgin president Sir Richard Branson and local VIPs at the first flight's arrival in Kingston.

Kingston represents the carrier's eighth Caribbean destination, adding to its current schedule of flights to Antigua, Barbados, St Lucia and Grenada, among others.

"The [new] services will ... ensure that British visitors continue to have the best access to Jamaica, with thousands of tourists set to significantly boost the region's economy in the years ahead," Sir Richard commented.

He also noted that the new flights mean available seat numbers between London and Jamaica on its services have now doubled to nearly 200,000 a year.

Virgin launched a new route between Heathrow Airport and Mauritius last week. The long-haul airline now flies to a total of 30 destinations around the world.

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