August 31, 2006

VIRGIN NIGERIA GETS SAUDI APPROVAL FOR HAJJ OPERATIONS …..set to launch scheduled flights to Jeddah

Lagos: 31 August 2006: The General Corporation of Civil Aviation of Saudi Arabia has granted approval in principle to Virgin Nigeria to convey pilgrims into the Kingdom for the 2006/2007 Hajj operations.

The approval from the Saudi Authority comes on the heels of an earlier approval by the Federal Government of Nigeria designating Virgin Nigeria as one of the airline carriers for the airlift of Muslim pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for the 2006/07 Hajj in Mecca.

It will be recalled that Virgin Nigeria at inception was officially designated by the Federal Government as the flag carrier on the Jeddah route with the full benefit and advantages on the route. With Virgin Nigeria's readiness to commence scheduled flights on the Jeddah route, the Federal Ministry of Aviation has reconfirmed Virgin Nigeria's status as the nation's flag carrier on the Jeddah route with effect from August 17, 2006.

Plans are already afoot by the airline to formally launch scheduled flights to Jeddah. The approval designating Virgin Nigeria as one of the airline carriers to this year's hajj was contained in a letter signed by the Director, Directorate of Pilgrims Affairs, Ambassador Abdullahi Madaki Bagge.

The airlift of pilgrims to this year's hajj by Virgin Nigeria which is the airline's first time of airlifting pilgrims will be preceded by special Umrah charter services to Jeddah by Virgin Nigeria to airlift a projected 8,000 pilgrims for the lesser Hajj in September.

Virgin Nigeria's Head of Corporate Communications, Mr. Larry Agose, said: "We are pleased to receive news of the approval of the General Corporation of Civil Aviation of Saudi Arabia and the designation by the Federal Government to participate in the airlift of pilgrims to the Holy Land for the 2006/2007 Hajj and affirm our readiness to collaborate with the appropriate authorities to ensure a hitch-free operation."

"Although the 2006 Hajj operation, which would commence sometime in November, would be Virgin Nigeria's first airlift of pilgrims, passengers would receive the high standard of timeliness, safety and comfort, which are the pillars of our total customer experience as we have concluded arrangements towards using a wide bodied Boeing 747 aircraft for our rotations," Agose said.

Agose explained that about 8,000 pilgrims will be airlifted by Virgin Nigeria in a seamless manner to the Holy Land to perform the lesser Hajj while the airline has also projected to airlift about 13,000 pilgrims to perform the hajj holy pilgrimage. The airlift of pilgrims by the airline to Jeddah will involve 16 and 27 commercial flight rotations for the Umrah and Hajj respectively. Pilgrims will be airlifted from the cities of Kano, Abuja and Lagos.

"The 2006 Hajj operation would be one with a positive difference, as Virgin Nigeria would be guided by the terms of our agreement with the Federal Government towards a successful conduct of the exercise, notably in terms of pricing, departure to and from Jeddah as well as passenger safety," Agose said.

Bearing in mind the special nature of the umrah and hajj traffic, Virgin Nigeria has signed on ten Travel agents that have specialization in umrah and hajj operations spread across Nigeria to sell tickets and secure visas and accommodation for intending pilgrims.

About Virgin Nigeria:
Virgin Nigeria is the registered, fully private sector flag carrier of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, owned 51% by Nigerian Institutional shareholders and 49% by Virgin Atlantic.

The airline operates the following

intercontinental services:
Lagos to London: Daily
Johannesburg: Three times a week
Dubai: Three times a week

Regional services:
Accra: Daily
Douala: Two times a week
Dakar: Two times a week

Domestic services:
Lagos - Abuja: Six times daily
***Lagos - Port Harcourt: (Now diverted to Owerri two times daily)
***Abuja - Port Harcourt: (Now diverted to Owerri once daily)
Lagos - Kano: Five times a week
Abuja - Kano: Five times a week

For reservations, call (01) 460 0505; (01) 271 1111; (09) 461 0505; (084) 460505

For all press enquiries, please contact: corporatecommunications@virginnigeria.com

For media information in Nigeria only, please contact Corporate Communications, 3rd floor, Ark towers, Plot 17 Ligali Ayorinde Street, VI, or corpcomm@virginnigeria.com; 234 -1 – 2711144

For media information in the UK please contact the Virgin Atlantic Press Office on 01293 747 373.