Sir Richard Branson, the man who transformed British aviation, will soon be undergoing a kind of a transformation himself. The airline mogul is set to become the first airline CEO in history to dress-up and serve as a flight stewardess.
British airline moguls are known for their knack in attracting attention to promote their products. Branson dressing up in drag and serving as a flight attendant could easily be construed as just another ploy to sell more seats. Except, Branson will be serving as a flight attendant for rival AirAsiaX. Now why would Branson do such a thing? Because of a bet, apparently. Branson, who owns Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Racing Formula One team, had a wager with AirAsia X and Lotus Racing boss Tony Fernandes over whose team would finish highest in the 2010 racing championships. The agreement was whoever loses would serve as a flight attendant on the other person’s airline. Well, Branson lost.
AirAsiaX CEO Tony Fernandes has said Branson has to comply with his company’s grooming standards and that includes shaving his legs, donning high heels, putting on some makeup, and slipping into the AirAsia’s famous red uniform. This task does not only entail serving champagne to guests but “tranny-for-a-day” Branson is expected to take on regular duties on the flight, including cleaning the toilets. “He will be committed to carry out the responsibilities of a flight attendant, including offering coffee, tea, and other food and beverages to guests on the special six-hour Perth to Kuala Lumpur flight,” Fernandes was quoted as saying.
For many, going into space is the final frontier. Well, Branson will soon put a check mark on that bucket list when his Virgin Galactic commences its suborbital spaceflights service. For now, however, Branson is keen on putting a check mark on what may very well be called a kind of “final frontier,” when he becomes the first gender-bending airline CEO in history to serve on an actual flight. Branson himself has admitted to have “done some outrageous things” in his life, but becoming a tranny for a day “will be up there with the best of them.”
During the recently-held World Travel & Tourism Council’s 2013 Global Tourism Summit, held in Abu Dhabi, VisitBritain Chairman Christopher Rodrigues was asked for his reaction. According to him, it was the first time he had heard about Branson’s latest stint. Rodrigues had nothing but high praises for the Virgin mogul and what he has done for British aviation.
“Richard Branson is a great believer in what he fought, in what he saw was a very static system,” said Rodrigues. “BA [British Airways] today is a transformed organization [than the one] that called him Martian and heretic.”
According to Rodrigues, “British aviation needed to change and it has” because of Branson. “BA has done very well out of it. I don’t know if any would admit to it, but having Branson alongside poking a stick in their direction was a [good thing].”
“We have to move, we can’t be static,” said the VisitBritain Chairman when he described Branson’s role in transforming British aviation. Well, perhaps Branson is set to transform aviation yet again. While the distinction of being the first commercial airline to hire transsexuals as flight attendants belongs to Thailand’s PC Air, Branson could pave the way for airlines to provide equal opportunities for transsexuals who aspire to become Virgin flight attendants.
