Airline Bmi is to expand its longhaul flights to take advantage of liberalised transatlantic flying, after boosting operating profit by 85 per cent last year.
Chief executive Nigel Turner declined to say which routes the airline was looking at launching from Heathrow when the "open skies" pact between the European Union and the United States takes effect in March 2008.
But he said the Airbus A330 was Bmi's preferred aircraft for fleet expansion.
"We've had a good run with the A330s, and we're familiar with the aircraft and engines," he told reporters. "We've got three already, and it's the default aircraft at this stage."
Bmi increased underlying operating profit by 85.5 per cent to £10.2 million pounds, while one-off items helped it triple pre-tax profit to £29.7 million.
Bmi described "open skies" as a "long held and hard fought aspiration" and said it would develop a wider medium and long haul route network.
Mr Turner ruled out fears the airline would cut short-haul flights to make slots available for transatlantic flying.
"We have no plans to curtail any domestic flying or short haul flying," he said, adding that he expected domestic flights to be hit hard anyway by increases in Air Passenger Duty in Britain.