UK carrier bmi has confirmed its intention to expand its long haul services with the planned $500m purchase of five Airbus A330s.
They will join the existing three A330s in the bmi fleet with the first due to arrive next Spring.
Their arrival coincides with the start of the new EU-US Open Skies agreement next March.
A statement by bmi said its board had approved the "strategy of developing new mid haul and long haul routes from London Heathrow" where it is a major holder of slots.
The airline said that after its acquisition of British Mediterranean Airway (BMED), it will take delivery of five Airbus 321s to bolster its mid haul fleet. The cost of these new aircraft is $250m.
Nigel Turner, bmi's ceo, said: "Delivery of ten further aircraft will allow the introduction of new routes and upgrade capacity on existing services in these two important sectors of our business.
"Later this year we will be announcing network plans for our long haul operations in 2008.
"An expanded operation of the former BMED network for the 2007/08 winter schedule will be announced shortly with new routes and enhanced frequencies to commence on 28 October 2007 when BMED will be fully integrated into bmi."
Paris hotel growth "slowing"
Growth in Paris hotels has slowed for the first time this year, hotel consultants Deloitte said.
Its survey for May found that the increase in revenue per available room (revPAR) was "more moderate" than in previous months of 2007.
Deloitte blamed a drop in business travellers for the slow down.
The revPAR for "standard" 4-star hotels in the city actually dropped from 200 to 188 compared with May 2006.
The revPAR in much of the Paris market in mid and up-market hotels remained the same or rose only slightly.
The exception was "superior" 4-star properties where it rose from 447 to 486.
Deloitte said that the three long weekends in May had caused a general slow down in business activity.
But it added that it expected this to be only temporary.