From spring onwards, BA will add a new direct five-a-week route to Tennessee’s capital from Heathrow Terminal 5 operated by a Boeing 787-8, writes Ayla Soguksu.

Fares lead in at £749 for passengers travelling in economy class with the service launching on May 4.

The addition will make BA the only carrier in Europe to fly directly to Music City and bump the number of US states the airline flies to from London to 26.

To celebrate the launch of the new route, the airline is holding a competition for singer songwriters with the prize being to record their single in Nashville, the home of country and western music.

The competition will be judged by US singer Kip Moore and a number of other chart toppers in the US music industry.

Kip Moore said: "The songwriting community is personally something I am very passionate about raising awareness for, and being a part of finding new talent is exciting.”