Silverjet says that the Middle East and Southwest Asia offer strategic growth opportunities, and the airline plans to discuss its expansion at its debut at the upcoming Arabian Travel Market 2008 exhibition. Taking place in Dubai from 6-9 May at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, the Arabian Travel Market is the region’s leading, annual travel and tourism exhibition for industry professionals, and the Luton-based carrier will be participating in the event for the first time.

CEO Lawrence Hunt will be addressing the travel trade industry on 8 March, leading a seminar entitled, ‘All-Business Class Airlines – The New Success Story’, where he will explain the concept behind the emerging business model and discuss how Silverjet plans to become the global market leader in all-business class long-haul air travel.

“Arabian Travel Market 2008 is the perfect platform for Silverjet to reach out to all of our key stakeholders in the industry, and we look forward to sharing with them our exciting plans,” said Hunt.  “We will be taking major steps forward as a company, which we hope to communicate in early May through our strong presence at the Arabian Travel Market 2008 exhibition.”    

Silverjet’s Arabian Travel Market 2008 exhibition stand will be located in the Zabeel Hall of the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, adjacent to the carrier’s ground agent Dnata. Several senior executives from the company will be at the booth to host travel and hospitality representatives from across the region.  

Silverjet, which celebrated its one-year anniversary in January, now operates routes to Dubai and New York from its headquarters in London Luton, and has bold expansion plans to take its innovative mode of travel to new destinations.

The airline has just received two additional Boeing 767 aircraft this month, which will extend its ability to take on additional transcontinental routes. With an operational range of over 6,000 miles from its private terminal at London Luton Airport, the aircraft will be configured with 100 6’3” flat beds and may be available to Silverjet customers as early as mid 2008.

Silverjet has also won numerous awards during its first year of operation, including The Sunday Times Travel’s prestigious Best Airline award and Conde Nast Traveller’s Best Business Class Only Airline and the Design and Innovation awards.