Wendy Buck, Press Office
02-12-2004, 05:26 PM
Posted by Wendy Buck, Press Office on November 02, 2001 at 13:31:47:
London And New York Unite
Mayor Giuliani And Sir Richard Branson, Chairman Of Virgin Atlantic
Airways, Meet To Promote Tourism From London To New York In A Show
Of Solidarity Between The UK And USA.
NORWALK, CT -- (INTERNET WIRE) -- 11/01/2001 -- Virgin Atlantic Airways’
chairman, Sir Richard Branson, answered Rudolph Giuliani’s call to bring back
tourists to New York City by flying in a plane load of passengers from London for
free on October 31st. The flight marks the beginning of a high profile marketing
campaign in the UK, designed to encourage tourists to start traveling to New York
and the US again.
This morning Sir Richard Branson took 200 of the passengers on double-decker
buses from the Virgin Megastore in Times Square and headed downtown. The
passengers were wearing Virgin Atlantic "I love New York" T-shirts and waved US
and UK flags. This large contingency of good will from the UK proceeded to
Manhattan's City Hall to meet with Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and delivered money
collected by British fire fighters for their US fire fighting brothers.
Sir Richard Branson, Chairman of Virgin Atlantic Airways, comments “The travel,
tourism and commercial sectors have been severely affected by the events of
September 11 due to the reduction in travel across the Atlantic. The flight of "The
Spirit of New York" is a symbolic way for Virgin Atlantic to show our support and
also encourages people to fly again. We estimate that this flight alone will mean
$1,000,000 of extra expenditure in New York on accommodation, entertainment
and shopping”.
Over 400 lucky passengers on board this flight from London were winners of a
national UK competition to win free tickets to New York, which ran in the Sun
newspaper, the UK’s largest circulation daily newspaper. Response to the
competition was overwhelming with over 40,000 entries enough to fill 120 jumbo
jets.
The aircraft used for this flight was renamed “The Spirit of New York” in honor of
this special trip. Among the passengers were British fire personnel that collected
money for their US colleagues. The “free flight” on October 31st represented the
beginning of a national television and newspaper campaign in the UK, based
around the theme “I love New York” that will promote travel to the US.
Virgin Atlantic is providing additional support for the city of New York through its
onboard charity appeal. Donations are being collected inflight for the American
Red Cross, UNHCR and the UN Refugee Agency. We are also encouraging our
frequent flyers to donate miles for these chosen charities.
Virgin Atlantic is one of the world’s most acclaimed carriers and was recently
named “Favorite Business Class Cabin, Transatlantic Travel” 2001 by Conde
Nast Traveler’s readers and “Airline of the Year” 2001 by OAG.
Virgin Atlantic Airways currently serves London from nine US gateways: Boston,
New York (JFK), Newark, Washington (Dulles), Miami, Orlando, Las Vegas, San
Francisco and Los Angeles. For more information, contact the Virgin Atlantic
press office at 203-750-2570 or visit the web site at www.virgin-atlantic.com.
London And New York Unite
Mayor Giuliani And Sir Richard Branson, Chairman Of Virgin Atlantic
Airways, Meet To Promote Tourism From London To New York In A Show
Of Solidarity Between The UK And USA.
NORWALK, CT -- (INTERNET WIRE) -- 11/01/2001 -- Virgin Atlantic Airways’
chairman, Sir Richard Branson, answered Rudolph Giuliani’s call to bring back
tourists to New York City by flying in a plane load of passengers from London for
free on October 31st. The flight marks the beginning of a high profile marketing
campaign in the UK, designed to encourage tourists to start traveling to New York
and the US again.
This morning Sir Richard Branson took 200 of the passengers on double-decker
buses from the Virgin Megastore in Times Square and headed downtown. The
passengers were wearing Virgin Atlantic "I love New York" T-shirts and waved US
and UK flags. This large contingency of good will from the UK proceeded to
Manhattan's City Hall to meet with Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and delivered money
collected by British fire fighters for their US fire fighting brothers.
Sir Richard Branson, Chairman of Virgin Atlantic Airways, comments “The travel,
tourism and commercial sectors have been severely affected by the events of
September 11 due to the reduction in travel across the Atlantic. The flight of "The
Spirit of New York" is a symbolic way for Virgin Atlantic to show our support and
also encourages people to fly again. We estimate that this flight alone will mean
$1,000,000 of extra expenditure in New York on accommodation, entertainment
and shopping”.
Over 400 lucky passengers on board this flight from London were winners of a
national UK competition to win free tickets to New York, which ran in the Sun
newspaper, the UK’s largest circulation daily newspaper. Response to the
competition was overwhelming with over 40,000 entries enough to fill 120 jumbo
jets.
The aircraft used for this flight was renamed “The Spirit of New York” in honor of
this special trip. Among the passengers were British fire personnel that collected
money for their US colleagues. The “free flight” on October 31st represented the
beginning of a national television and newspaper campaign in the UK, based
around the theme “I love New York” that will promote travel to the US.
Virgin Atlantic is providing additional support for the city of New York through its
onboard charity appeal. Donations are being collected inflight for the American
Red Cross, UNHCR and the UN Refugee Agency. We are also encouraging our
frequent flyers to donate miles for these chosen charities.
Virgin Atlantic is one of the world’s most acclaimed carriers and was recently
named “Favorite Business Class Cabin, Transatlantic Travel” 2001 by Conde
Nast Traveler’s readers and “Airline of the Year” 2001 by OAG.
Virgin Atlantic Airways currently serves London from nine US gateways: Boston,
New York (JFK), Newark, Washington (Dulles), Miami, Orlando, Las Vegas, San
Francisco and Los Angeles. For more information, contact the Virgin Atlantic
press office at 203-750-2570 or visit the web site at www.virgin-atlantic.com.