Business Weekly - Cambridge, UK

Chief executive Lawrence Hunt said seat sales were comfortably ahead of expectations and additional flights would be introduced this summer.

He said: “We will launch our second daily Luton-New York flight in July and are investigating further long-haul route opportunities. By the end of the year, we hope to be operating a three times a day service to New York.

"At the time of our IPO, we made a commitment to our investors to launch Silverjet within nine months; we are immensely proud to have achieved this.”

Silverjet is also countering criticism of the industry in general by marketing itself as "the first truly carbon neutral airline.” Included within ticket prices is a mandatory carbon offset contribution, giving customers the opportunity to reinvest ‘carbon points’ into a number of climate friendly projects around the world.

The scheme, set up in partnership with leading climate change specialist The CarbonNeutral Company, has been developed in accordance with the CarbonNeutral protocol, the leading standard and quality mark for action on climate change.

Passengers are able to sleep on a 6'3 flat bed with no in-flight announcements, overhead lights or trolleys serving meals. They can enjoy individually served gourmet meals, a digital in-flight entertainment system and, for female customers, a ladies only loo.