A luxury ?boutique airline? plans to launch five-day-a-week flights between Bermuda and London as early as January, it has been announced.

Although still waiting for final Government approval , Florida-based company Fly First Class is already targeting both the business and leisure markets with the service, which will also visit Wilmington, North Carolina two days a week.

The airline will use 767 wide-body aircraft, which are equipped to carry 90 passengers in a cabin layout that is actually big enough to accommodate around 200.

The service will have three classes ? First Class, Business Class and Suite Class ? with in-flight DVD players standard for all classes of service.

Among the luxuries on offer to the ten First Class passengers on each are a six-course ?linen and china service? meal prepared by an on-board chef, and 78 inch pitch seats.

Gabrielle Griswold, Executive Vice President of Fly First Class said that the unrestricted year-round fares for the round trip from Bermuda to the UK will be approximately $5200 first class, $3800 business class and $1399 suite class.

?We are about putting luxury back into trans-Atlantic travel, but at 25 percent off of what the market generally charges. It?s all about an unforgettable experience,? she said.

?We anticipate great demand from business travellers, but also from leisure clients. Everyone wants to go to Bermuda and people are thrilled about the prospects. We know this service will be a great boon for Bermuda and there is also tremendous excitement about it in Wilmington.?

Ms Griswold added that Stansted is a fast-growing and attractive airport to fly in and out of due to its fast train link to Liverpool Street Station in central London.

Carl Paiva, the Chief Executive of the C-Travel company in Hamilton, is working with Fly First Class as a partner.

He anticipates that the inbound flights will provide a boost to hotels during the winter season, as well as providing an opportunity to bring additional freight to the island, and believes that the Sunday departures from Wilmington will be particularly attractive to honeymooners.

According to Fly First Class?s proposed schedule, which is still waiting for the final green light, flights out of London on Monday and Thursday mornings will arrive in Bermuda in the early afternoon.

Travellers can leave the Island for the UK on a choice of two flights on Monday evenings for an overnight flight. An overnight flight to the UK will also leave Bermuda on a Thursday evening.

On Fridays, a service to Bermuda will depart the UK in the morning. On Saturdays, there will be an overnight flight to London. A service will also leave the UK on a Sunday morning, arriving in Bermuda in the early afternoon, local time.

Trips both ways between Bermuda and North Carolina will be offered on Friday and Sunday afternoons.