Sir Richard Branson to serve on special AirAsia flight

When AirAsia Group CEO and Team Lotus co-principal Dato’ Sri Dr. Tony Fernandes agreed to a friendly wager with Virgin Group & Marussia Virgin Racing’s Sir Richard Branson on the sidelines of the 2010 Bahrain Formula One GP, little did they expect the twists, turns and obstacles they would have to go through to complete the wager.

9 months and 19 races later, at the spectacular Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, Dato’ Sri Dr. Tony Fernandes’ Team Lotus came out tops and just when the many were getting ready to see Sir Richard Branson don the red and sexy AirAsia female flight attendant uniform and be an AirAsia crew for a day there was another twist in the tale. Richard ruptured a ligament after colliding into a teenager on the ski slopes in Switzerland; well, that’s how the story goes anyway.

Five months after the colourful evening in Abu Dhabi, the day of reckoning for Sir Richard Branson has finally arrived. On 1 May, 2011, onboard AirAsia flight D7 08 from London to Kuala Lumpur, Sir Richard Branson will don AirAsia’s red female flight attendant uniform and strut down the aisle to offer coffee, tea or any other food or beverage to Tony Fernandes and 250 other guests on the special 13-hour KL-bound flight.

This not-to-be-missed opportunity to join two of the most illustrious characters in aviation and make history 35,000 feet in the sky for charity is available for booking online at airasiago.com with three charity package options until 07:00hrs (GMT +8), 24 April 2011.

A total of 160 tickets onboard this special flight would be made available for sale. Flight tickets for this once in a lifetime experience are available at GBP4,500, while flights and accommodation packages start at GBP5,200 for a single accommodation and GBP5,000 for twin sharing.

Guests on the charity flight can look forward to being entertained by world-class acts such as UK’s very own DJ Jarren C who will spin at the pre-departure event at Stansted; and DJ Dan Healy, who has entertained at after-parties for Alexander McQueen, Matthew Williamson, Jay-Z, and Justin Timberlake.

Spellbinding street magician Dynamo will also be on board to mesmerise. Eddie Jordan, who has put a host of drivers on the world stage including Hill, Mansell, Schumacher, and Senna amongst many others will be performing with his 4-piece band ‘Eddie & The Robbers’ on board the flight as well. Also lookout for actor and comedian James Corden, star of shows Gavin & Stacey and Horne & Corden on BBC; amongst an unforgettable line-up which has been arranged for the charity flight.

Guests who can’t be on the flight, but would like the chance to be entertained by Sir Richard Branson, Dato’ Sri Dr. Tony Fernandes, and a host of top British and Malaysian celebrities, including Formula One Legend, Eddie Jordan in Kuala Lumpur can purchase tickets to the Charity Cocktail Party at GBP350 on 2 May 2011.

Dato’ Sri Dr. Tony Fernandes, Group CEO of AirAsia Berhad & Principal of Team Lotus, said, “We’ve come a full circle, [Sir] Richard and I. Who would’ve thought my mentor will be serving as a flight attendant on AirAsia? I’ve got my razor ready, and I can’t wait to shave his hairy legs! Jokes aside, how we got to this charity flight is a testament that we can achieve anything if we are fueled by passion, grit, determination and never take no for an answer. Team Lotus, a Malaysian F1 team, supported by AirAsia, an ASEAN airline has beaten the odds on the race track and on the air, and there will be more to come. I am also glad that we are able to contribute to those in need through this charity flight as well.”

All proceeds collected from the sale of the charity packages and special collector items at the auction during the charity cocktail evening which include personal items from Dato’ Sri Dr. Tony Fernandes and Sir Richard Branson will be channelled towards beneficiaries to be determined and announced by AirAsia and Virgin Unite at a later date.