Sir Richard Branson, the high-spirited entrepreneur known for his head-turning publicity stunts, has gatecrashed the Las Vegas wedding of two flight attendants who have worked for his Virgin Atlantic airline for its entire 40-year history, taking over as officiant.
In this case, however, what happens in Vegas doesn’t stay in Vegas and Malcolm and Jacqui King-McKinnon have had their special day shared far and wide as, you guessed it, Virgin Atlantic’s latest publicity stunt.
This week, Virgin Atlantic is celebrating its 40th anniversary and its an achievement that many observers never thought would happen. So what better way to toast the occasion than by attending a cheesy chapel wedding in the Nevada desert with an Elvis impersonator?
Okay, this isn’t the only celebration planned by the Maverick airline and its colourful boss, but it’s certainly a nice feel-good story that comes just at a time when joyful stories are in short supply.
Malcolm and Jacqui met during one of Virgin Atlantic’s first flights from Manchester during the airline’s first year of operation back in 1984. Forty years later, the couple worked together on Virgin Atlantic’s latest route between Manchester and Las Vegas before taking part in a vow renewal ceremony at the Little White Wedding Chapel.
While Sir Richard stole the show in a ‘bedazzled blazer’ in Virgin’s signature red color, other Virgin Atlantic crew members and CEO Shai Weiss were also in attendance to celebrate.
“Our incredible people are what makes Virgin Atlantic so special – they are mavericks, trailblazers, they are kind and fun,” Sir Richard said following the ceremony.
He continued: “Getting to celebrate two of those people who have been with us since day one was an honor. Malcolm and Jacqui’s love story started at Virgin Atlantic, which makes them part of the family.”
Earlier this week, Sir Richard admitted how he had gone against the advice of his friends and family to create Virgin Atlantic all those years ago in an attempt to create more competition in the UK aviation market.
The airline has certainly had its ups and downs, and after nearly going bust during the pandemic, Virgin Atlantic is finally on track to become profitable during its Ruby anniversary year.
During another anniversary event, Virgin Atlantic also announced its return to Canada with a new route between London Heathrow and Toronto slated to open in March 2025.
The airline is once again competing with British Airways, this time aiming to capture a slice of the Indian market by providing connectivity for India’s diaspora between the homeland and North America.
Mateusz Maszczynski honed his skills as an international flight attendant at the most prominent airline in the Middle East and has been flying ever since... most recently for a well known European airline. Matt is passionate about the aviation industry and has become an expert in passenger experience and human-centric stories. Always keeping an ear close to the ground, Matt's industry insights, analysis and news coverage is frequently relied upon by some of the biggest names in journalism.
Good for the couple, good for Virgin! Sir Richard is a jolly soul. I’d love to have him at my wedding!