HAVANA -- Virgin Atlantic flew its first flight between London and Havana yesterday and begins twice-a-week service next month.

British billionaire and Virgin Express Holdings PLC Chief Richard Branson stuck Cuban and British flags out of a small hole in the airplane as it rolled up on the Havana runway.

"I think there are billions of people who'd like to come to Cuba," he told reporters at the airport. "I think (our venture) will be enormously successful. We'll make it so."

Weekly flights on Thursdays and Saturdays between London and Havana were to begin July 7.

Canadians currently top the list of tourists coming to the communist-run island, followed by the Italians and the French. British tourists are currently No. 7 on the list, but growing.

The last eight years have seen an average annual growth of 19.5 percent among British tourists, according to Cuba's Tourism Ministry. Last year more than 160,000 British tourists came to Cuba, up from 46,000 in 1997, the ministry said.

Branson said he expected the new flights to add some $55 million to Cuba's economy, including jobs, new commerce and tourism.

Branson and some 150 guests he brought with him were scheduled to fly to Nassau, Bahamas, on Tuesday, where Virgin is also launching new direct service from London's Gatwick airport, beginning July 4.

Cubana Airlines flies from Havana and Holguin to London twice weekly.