BA Expands

British Airways is to increase the number of flights from the UK to South America next winter.

Buenos Aires will be served daily from Heathrow while non-stop flghts to Rio de Janeiro will operate from October 26.

The airline is raising the number Heathrow-Buenos Aires flights from four a week to a daily frequency and will fly non-stop to Rio instead of via Sao Paulo, cutting more than two hours off the journey time.

Flights from Gatwick to St Lucia will increase from two to three a week and operate non-stop rather than flying via Antigua, saving two hours' flight time.

Services from Gatwick to Port of Spain in Trinidad and Tobago will operate via St Lucia rather than Barbados.

Caribbean Airways' codeshare with BA on the Port of Spain route will incorporate the new flights via St Lucia as well as four weekly Barbados flights.

Antigua and Barbados will continue with seven and nine flights respectively each week from Gatwick.

The airline's commercial director Robert Boyle said: "South America is a growing market for us as demand for business and leisure travel increases.

"We're responding to that demand by providing more flights to Buenos Aires and non-stop services to Rio.

"Rio is traditionally a leisure destination but business travel to the city, particularly in the energy sector, is rising. Non-stop flights mean more available seats on the route and faster flight times."