Tickets Just Went on Sale for Virgin’s First All LGBT+ Flight
Jackie Reddy October 11, 2018
Virgin Atlantic has said that it will operate a ‘Pride Flight’ from LHR to NYC in June. The service will form part of World Pride 2019 celebrations, with NYC acting as the host venue for this event. According to the airline, the flight will be “ staffed entirely by LGBT+ pilots and cabin crew…”.
Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Holidays – in partnership with tourism body NYC & Company and the Alliance for Downtown New York, a local business organization – have revealed plans to operate Britain’s very first ‘Pride Flight’ from London this summer.
In a statement, Virgin Atlantic confirmed that the flight is due to depart London Heathrow Airport (LHR) for Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) on Friday, 28th June. Return dates are flexible, with economy tickets starting at £380 and a three-night room and flight package from £699.
The flight will be part of World Pride 2019, which is being hosted by New York City. This upcoming Pride event will itself mark 50 years since the city’s Stonewall Uprising.
The service, explains the carrier, will be, “staffed entirely by LGBT+ pilots and cabin crew, the flight will be a true celebration of queer culture 38,000ft above the Atlantic. It will feature a ton of special on-board entertainment including on board DJ, Drag-Queen Bingo, Judy Garland singalong, inter-seat speed dating and special in-flight entertainment.”
“The one-off flight will be hosted by Tituss Burgess – Broadway musical actor and star of the hit Netflix show Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt – and packed full of special guests and live performances to make it one memorable flight,”
Burgess commented, “At a time when we’re seeing the rights of minority groups under threat, it is more important than ever we stand up and make our voices heard. The LGBT community has made enormous strides over the last 50 years, and I’m so proud to partner with Virgin Holidays and Virgin Atlantic to mark this occasion in style and celebrate the hard-won freedoms from those who came before us.”
Commenting on behalf of the carrier, Mark Anderson, Global LGBT Lead for Virgin Group and Executive Vice President at Virgin Atlantic, said, “We’re not the type of company to mark an occasion like this half-heartedly and we’re going to be pulling out all the stops to ensure the Pride Flight is delivered with a large serving of Virgin flair…This is going to be a show-stopping, ground-breaking, one-of-a-kind experience that we can’t wait to bring to the skies next June.”
For more information or to buy tickets on Virgin’s Pride flight, visit virginatlantic.com/pride
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What's next, a flight only for straight dudes? This sounds like misguided and desperate marketing Bravo Sierra!
Well said Dutchess! They just don't get it, do they?
Well I'm feeling very excluded. Where are the flights in August to celebrate Left Handers Day? We're 10% of the population but are discriminated against all the time. Oh that's right. We're not special enough and it's not as politically correct an issue, even though we've been tortured and killed for our handedness, and forced to live a lie for fear of retribution in the past - and still are in some countries. So. Where is OUR flight Beardy Branson?
My god some people here are whiney. Only this article calls it an all gay flight. Virgin calls it a Pride Flight that will be specially staffed by an LGBT crew. It is just a bit of fun to celebrate Pride. If it upsets you that gay people are allowed to be openly gay and happy with the progress that has been made in the past several years, I am indeed sorry that you feel that way. And you can say that all expressions of sexuality makes you uncomfortable but I just have a hard time believing that is the case. Do you complain about the many other expressions of sexuality including virtually every film ever created? Do you complain when jewellery companies advertise a man purchasing a ring for a woman? I mean, it is a one off flight celebrating the LGBT community because we are fortunate enough to live in a part of the world that doesn't kill or imprison people for their sexual orientations. However, many such parts of the world still exist. I mean, seriously, I don't understand why this is something that bothers so many people. Does a gay cruise also bother you so? Personally, I would just say don't go if it is not your thing. You have many options when flying from London to New York, so you don't need to be on this flight. And if you weren't planning on taking this flight anyways, then why do you care?
What's wrong with during a pride event celebrating an LGBT+ crew? How does that hurt you? How is that sooooo offensive to you? Airlines have previously celebrated having all-women crews and all people of color crews. What's wrong with that? We're celebrating the achievements of minorities in the face of on-going discrimination. If you're a white cisgendered person, particularly male, and you think that discrimination is gone, you're missing something. How often are any of the pilots anything but white men if you're flying a North American, European, or ANZ airline? How white are the crews compared to the general population. I'll grant you that the number of male flight attendants who are gay (white cis men), is higher than the average of the population, but how many gay men of color do you see? How many trans cabin crew do you see? Sure we can't always tell but as a member of the LGBT+ community, I notice these things. And it's rare, very rare.