BA Transatlantic from London City

AV8Tours understands that British Airways is to go ahead with the launch of the first New York flights from London City Airport despite the economic downturn.

Flights are already on sale with the first flights due to take off on September 29.

The new all-business class service launches with a daily return to New York JFK except Saturdays when London City airport is closed, increasing to two flights a day from mid-October.

The aircraft on the route will be a specially configured Airbus A318s, the largest aircraft that can be flown from the Docklands airport.

Fitted with just 32 seats, which convert to fully flat beds, the aircraft will fly across the Atlantic after a refuelling stop at Shannon in Ireland, where passengers will be able to clear US Customs and Immigration.

Return flights from New York will be non-stop, as the aircraft can use JFK's full-length runways and take off with sufficient fuel for the whole transatlantic crossing.

BA chief executive Willie Walsh said: "In the harshest trading environment airlines have experienced, we believe it is more important than ever to embrace the future and innovate. That is what this historic new route is all about. There is real enthusiasm from our customers for this project. This is BA at it's best - stylish, British and ahead of the game. Reviving the BA001 flight number for the first long haul route out of London City could not be more appropriate. Every aspect of this service has been designed to maximise convenience for customers to fly between the world's two biggest business centres - Wall Street and London's extended financial district in the City and Docklands.The UK's first web access on transatlantic flights means that customers can work and keep in touch with the office between London and New York via email and texts. Above all the exclusive service style will bring the feel of a private jet to a business class cabin."