Virgin is to recruit 1,500 people to be based at Gatwick and Heathrow

Chairman Sir Richard Branson announced the new jobs at the Sussex airport on Monday before the airline's inaugural flight to Cuba and the Bahamas.

He said taking into account staff turnover, 1,500 people would be recruited in the next 18 months.

There would be up to 1,100 cabin crew, 150 for the flight deck and 150, including engineers, at the airports.

Extra services

There would also be 100 staff taken on for Virgin Atlantic's HQ in Crawley.

The airline's expansion includes extra services to Shanghai, Las Vegas, Orlando and Port Harcourt, Nigeria this summer and new routes to Dubai and Jamaica in 2006.

"We are delighted," said Sir Richard.

"We look forward to welcoming more people to come and work for the airline."