VIRGIN NIGERIA'S AIRLIFT OF PILGRIMS UNDERWAY

Lagos, Nigeria: 12 January 07: Virgin Nigeria has affirmed that the airlift of the pilgrims booked on its service from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia is underway and would be completed on schedule.

Like the other airlines designated for this year's hajj operations, Virgin Nigeria applied for slots commencing 2 January 2007 which the Saudi Arabia Presidency of Civil Aviation ((PCA) approved to commence on 4 January. However, the Saudi Arabia Airport Authorities only gave Virgin Nigeria clearance from 9 January.

The airlifting of the pilgrims booked on our service started on the 9th day of January as the airport authority eventually granted slots to Virgin Nigeria.

We have already operated four flights out of Jeddah and we wish to assure that we are committed to airlifting all our in-bound pilgrims within the specified time frame.

Virgin Nigeria was the first carrier to airlift pilgrims to Jeddah during the current hajj operations and one of the first to complete the outbound leg.

Larry Agose
Director, Corporate Communications

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
 

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
Lagos - Sokoto: Two times a week from December 3rd 2006
Abuja - Calabar: three times a week from December 4th 2006

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.