BT offers free flights with broadband

TELECOMS group BT hopes to push its broadband user numbers skyward by offering a free return flight to the US or Europe to every subscriber who signs up over the next six weeks to spend £320 on a 12-month contract.

The move is reminiscent of Hoover's infamous free US flights promotion that cost the vacuum cleaner firm £50m in 1992.

BT insists that the offer is 'unlimited', but the small print says it 'may be withdrawn for unforeseen events'.

Cosmetics group Avon was recently overwhelmed by demand after offering a free Orange pre-pay phone for every customer spending £15 on a skincare range.

BT chief executive Ben Verwaayen has a target of 5m broadband customers by 2006 to replace declining revenues from residential phone calls. It has 2m so far, including customers on leased lines.