Dubai among top five long-haul British Airways destinations for Christmas

Of the two million passengers flying with the airline during the holiday period, the busiest day for out-going passengers is expected to be today with more than 50,000 travellers departing from London Heathrow and London Gatwick airports.

Dubai has emerged as the top fifth destination with New York leading in popularity. Other cities include Miami, Los Angeles and Hong Kong.

Commenting on the popularity of Dubai, Debbie Frampton, British Airways' Manager, UAE explains "Our regular 19 weekly flights from Dubai provide the best service with attractive promotions catering to various customer demands this makes British Airways a popular choice for passengers."

In Europe, a romantic break to Paris is proving popular with travellers. Geneva, the gateway to the ski-slopes, and the vibrant nightlife of Madrid complete the top three.

On the domestic routes where British Airways will reunite thousands of families for the festive season, Manchester, Edinburgh and Glasgow are the top three destinations.

In the build up to Christmas, British Airways passengers will be enjoying 16,000 slices of Christmas cake per day, 20,000 turkey dinners, and 130,000 mince pies. And thanks to the efforts of British Airways World Cargo, the ex-patriots in Bermuda and Grand Cayman can expect their own special delivery of mince pies to enjoy.

For mums and dads struggling to complete their Christmas shopping, British Airways' 'Shopping the World' brochure has a range of festive gifts including 'Bundles the Snowman' and 'Rooftop the Reindeer'.

It's also the busiest Christmas on record for British Airways World Cargo as it will carry 500 tonnes more than forecast. The majority is made up of Christmas 'goodies' ranging from exotic fruits to DVDs.