BA is offering special deals on its Holiday City Breaks as well, for example, a flight and two nights in a Paris hotel for less than --100. Long distance bargains include a flight to Perth, Australia, for just --495. Going to Rio de Janeiro is possible for £350 - a saving of --247. Flights to Paris and Brussels will be on offer for as little as £69. All up, BA plans to offer discount flights to 70 destinations. Bums on seats.

The carrier, which bills itself as the world's favourite airline, describes the summer sale as a "marketing initiative", designed to offer the UK public the "great escape" ahead of the traditional holiday period during July and August. The reason, though, is likely to be more mundane. British Airways needs to fill its planes. Last month, the airline reported dire profit figures. The company has lost a lot of business to rival carriers, especially in the highly profitable"premium market" of full-fare paying business class travellers. BA chairman Robert Ayling promised investors that he would switch the airline's strategy, cutting back on offering cheap economy class tickets and concentrating on profitable business travellers.

However, the company seems to have discovered that it needs to fill its cheap seats after all, especially during the weeks before the holiday season really gets going.