Celebrity Titus Burgess will host Virgin Atlantic's First Pride Flight in 2019.
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| © Getty Images PHOTO: Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747 landing at JFK Airport. (photo via rypson/iStock Editorial/Getty Images Plus) |
By Alex Temblador, TravelPulse
Pride celebrations just got a bit grander (and higher) with the announcement of Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Holiday’s first-ever UK Pride Flight.
The flight will celebrate all things queer at 38,000 feet in the sky on a flight from London to New York City on June 28, 2019. It will be hosted by Netflix star of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Titus Burgess.
“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,” Titus Burgess said. “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.”
Travelers can expect a fantastic experience during the flight. Not only will the Pride Flight be staffed by LGBTQ+ pilots and cabin crew, but it’ll also feature onboard entertainment like a DJ, Drag Queen Bingo, Judy Garland singalong, and inter-seat speed dating.
“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,” said Mark Anderson, Global LGBT Lead for Virgin Group and Executive Vice President at Virgin Atlantic.
He added, “We take our commitments to diversity and inclusion seriously, but you can rest assured we have a lot of fun along the way. 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.”
The Pride Flight was inspired to celebrate World Pride 2019 which will be held for the first time in New York City to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising, an important step in the LGBTQ+ rights movement. Virgin Atlantic has been working with NYC & Company and the Alliance for Downtown New York to make the Pride Flight a reality.
Fred Dixon, President and CEO of NYC & Company, commented: “Through our partnership with Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Holidays we’re delighted to invite UK LGBTQ travelers and allies to New York City to be a part of these historic events, expected to draw more than 3 million visitors and be one of the largest LGBTQ events in history.”
Part of the ticket sale proceeds for the Pride Flight will go to The Altitude Magazine Foundation.
For those interested in booking the Pride Flight, call Virgin Atlantic at 0344-209-7777. The flight will depart from London Heathrow Airport and arrive at Newark International Airport on June 28, 2019, and will cost £380 for a one-way ticket. Virgin Holidays is also offering a three-night package with NYC accommodations for £699. This can be booked by calling 0344-557-3859.
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