A new business class-only service is set to be launched by British Airways between London City Airport and New York next year.

The airline said the new flights will operate twice a day, with just 32 passengers on each Airbus A318 aircraft.

Passengers choosing to take a business class flight to New York will be able to take advantage of a 15-minute check-in service, as well as perks such as a lie-flat bed.

British Airways chief executive Willie Walsh said he believed the new flights would prove attractive to both leisure and business travellers.

"The London-New York route is a key market for us and these flights will be in addition to our current Heathrow schedule, from where we fly eight times a day to JFK and three times a day to Newark," he added.

Speculation over whether British Airways will launch business class-only flights has been rife for some time. The carrier will join the likes of Silverjet and Eos Airlines when it launches the New York service in 2009.

• Green scheme being launched in Dubai
• Bangkok named 'world's best city'
• Boeing Dreamliner 'on schedule' for flight tests
• Virgin Atlantic plans extra flights to Jamaica
• Austrian Airlines to launch new service
• British Airways connects to new iPhone
• Aer Arann promotes flights to Ireland
• Bmi to launch new Scandinavian flights
• US carriers improve on-time performance
• Flybe celebrates 'top regional airline' status