VIRGIN ATLANTIC JOINS ROUND-THE-WORLD ESCAPADE WITH ANSETT, AIR NEW ZEALAND & SINGAPORE AIRLINES

Virgin Atlantic Airways has become the fourth partner in the popular Escapade round-the-world air fare, offering global travel from as little as AUD$2599 per person in conjunction with Singapore Airlines, Air New Zealand and Ansett Australia.

Effective from 1 September, Virgin Atlantic will add its 23-destination network to the Escapade map of the world, providing an extensive new range of options for round-the-world passengers including nine additional trans-Atlantic routes, plus this programme's first links between the UK and Africa, Japan, China and Hong Kong.

Escapade is based on visits to a number of destinations, using a combination of the participating airlines, provided the maximum distance flown by a passenger does not exceed 29,000 miles (the standard airline measure for such fares).

Business Class fares start at AUD$7699 per person, with Economy Class priced at AUD$2599 per person in the low season ( 1 January - 31 May, 20 August to 6 December and 25-31 December) and AUD$3038 in high season (1 June - 19 August and 7-24 December).

Some suggested itineraries from major Australian destinations are:

ADELAIDE - Singapore - Hong Kong (Singapore Airlines), Hong Kong - London - New York (Virgin Atlantic), own arrangements to Los Angeles, then Los Angeles - Auckland - Melbourne (Air New Zealand) and Melbourne - Adelaide (Ansett).

ALICE SPRINGS - Perth (Ansett), Perth - Singapore - Hong Kong (Singapore Airlines), Hong Kong - London - Toronto (Virgin Atlantic), own arrangements to Los Angeles, then Los Angeles - Papeete - Auckland - Sydney (Los Angeles) and Sydney - Alice Springs (Ansett).

BRISBANE - Auckland - Nadi - Los Angeles (Air New Zealand), own arrangements to Boston, then Boston - London - Johannesburg (Virgin Atlantic), Johannesburg - Singapore - Brisbane (Singapore Airlines).

CAIRNS - Brisbane (Ansett) - Brisbane - Singapore - New Delhi (Singapore Airlines), New Delhi - London - Las Vegas (Virgin Atlantic), own arrangements to Los Angeles, then Los Angeles - Rarotonga - Auckland - Cairns (Air New Zealand).

CANBERRA - Sydney (Ansett), Sydney - Auckland - Nadi - Los Angeles (Air New Zealand), Los Angeles - London - Tokyo (Virgin Atlantic), Tokyo - Singapore - Sydney (Singapore Airlines), then Sydney - Canberra (Ansett).

DARWIN - Brisbane (Ansett), Brisbane - Christchurch - Auckland - Apia - Los Angeles (Air New Zealand), own arrangements to Washington DC, then Washington - London - Shanghai (Virgin Atlantic), Shanghai - Singapore - Perth (Singapore Airlines), Perth - Darwin (Ansett).

GOLD COAST - Sydney (Ansett), Sydney - Singapore - New Delhi (Singapore Airlines), New Delhi - London - San Francisco (Virgin Atlantic), own arrangements to Los Angeles, then Los Angeles - Papeete - Auckland - Melbourne (Air New Zealand) and Melbourne - Gold Coast (Ansett).

HOBART - Melbourne (Ansett), Melbourne - Auckland - Papeete - Los Angeles (Air New Zealand), own arrangements to Orlando, then Orlando - London - Hong Kong (Virgin Atlantic), Hong Kong - Singapore - Melbourne (Singapore Airlines) and Melbourne - Hobart (Ansett Australia).

LAUNCESTON - Melbourne (Ansett), Melbourne - Auckland - Nadi - Papeete - Los Angeles (Air New Zealand), own arrangements to Toronto, then Toronto - London - Shanghai (Virgin Atlantic), Shanghai - Singapore - Denpasar (Singapore Airlines), and Denpasar - Melbourne - Launceston (Ansett).

MELBOURNE - Singapore - Shanghai (Singapore Airlines), Shanghai - London - Las Vegas (Virgin Atlantic), own arrangements to Los Angeles, then Los Angeles - Rarotonga - Auckland - Christchurch - Melbourne with Air New Zealand.

PERTH - Singapore - New Delhi (Singapore Airlines), New Delhi - London - San Francisco (Virgin Atlantic), own arrangements to Los Angeles, then Los Angeles - Auckland - Sydney (Air New Zealand) and Sydney - Perth (Ansett).

SYDNEY - Denpasar (Ansett), Denpasar - Singapore - Hong Kong (Singapore Airlines), Hong Kong - London - New York (Virgin Atlantic), own arrangements to Los Angeles, then Los Angeles - Papeete (Tahiti) - Auckland - Sydney with Air New Zealand.

SYDNEY - Singapore - Johannesburg (Singapore Airlines), Johannesburg - London - Los Angeles (Virgin Atlantic), Los Angeles - Papeete - Auckland - Sydney (Air New Zealand).

TOWNSVILLE - Brisbane (Ansett), Brisbane - Singapore - Shanghai (Singapore Airlines), Shanghai - London - Los Angeles (Virgin Atlantic), Los Angeles - Nadi - Auckland - Brisbane (Air New Zealand) and Brisbane - Townsville (Ansett).

Conditions apply to some stopovers.

In addition to new travel opportunities for Escapade passengers, Virgin Atlantic offers a personal video screen and telephone in every seat, plus a stand-up bar and an on-board beauty therapy clinic in its luxurious Upper Class cabin.

As well, from the end of this year, Virgin Atlantic will become the first airline to start offering internet and e-mail access to passengers in all classes - a programme which will progressively be extended throughout its fleet.

London-based Virgin Atlantic operates a fleet of Boeing 747 and Airbus A340 aircraft from the UK to the USA, Canada, Asia and Africa. Next year, the airline will introduce the newest member of the A340 family, the A340-600. Virgin Atlantic is also a launch customer for the new Airbus A380 super jumbo.

For more information about Escapade round-the-world fares, please contact your travel agent or Virgin Atlantic on Sydney 02 9244 2747, Melbourne (03 9920 3887), Brisbane (07 3407 7188), Adelaide (08 8306 8411) or Perth (1300 361 400); Singapore Airlines on 13 10 11 Air New Zealand on 13 24 76 or Ansett Australia on 13 14 14.