Virgin Atlantic to Launch Amphibious Limos

NORWALK, Conn., June 14, 2004; Sir Richard Branson, chairman of Virgin Atlantic, today announced that the airline is planning to offer some of its Upper Class passengers the chance to experience the Gibbs Aquada when travelling to and from London's Heathrow airport enabling them to beat the traffic by taking to the Thames. Virgin Atlantic plans to introduce the service later in the summer.

Speaking in Calais, after setting a new Guinness World Record for crossing the channel in an amphibian -- the new Gibbs Aquada -- Richard Branson said:

"For many years our Upper Class passengers have enjoyed our complimentary limousines to and from the airport. Some people prefer our limo bikes -- chauffeured motorbikes -- but we are now planning to go one step further by introducing the chance to experience a Gibbs Aquada. This new service follows in our tradition of product innovation and fun.

"Just as with our existing limos, those passengers travelling by Gibbs Aquada will be met off their flights by a chauffeur who will drive them to their home, hotel or office. But unlike our other limos when the Gibbs Aquada hits traffic on its way to or from central London the driver simply heads for the nearest slipway and takes to the Thames before rejoining the roads on the final leg of the passenger's journey.

"Using the Gibbs Aquada, we will be able to cut twenty and thirty minutes off the journey between Heathrow and The City, giving our travellers extra time for meetings or relaxation. The Thames is London's defining feature along the banks of which much of its history has been written and it's the best introduction to London's great sights including the Houses of Parliament, the London Eye and Tower Bridge. Most Londoners think that the Thames is vastly underused and with the Gibbs Aquada's revolutionary technology we may see many more people using the river to get around."

Alan Gibbs, Chairman of Gibbs Technologies, said:

"We are delighted that Virgin has so endorsed High Speed Amphibious Technology and sees the Gibbs Aquada as a perfect fit for transporting its Upper Class passengers. The Gibbs Aquada is a revolutionary vehicle providing a real practical solution to London's traffic -- and there's no Congestion Charge!"

The first application of Gibbs Technologies' patented High Speed Amphibian (HSA) technology, the Gibbs Aquada represents the first road legal high-speed sports amphibian. Neither a boat with wheels nor a waterproof car, the Gibbs Aquada is truly a revolutionary new class of vehicle. It is able to drive at speeds of 100mph on land and in excess of 30mph on water, moving between surfaces at the touch of a button. For more information please visit: http://www.aquada.co.uk

For further information please contact the Virgin Atlantic Press Office at 203-750-2570 or log onto http://www.virgin.com/atlantic