Virgin Atlantic to honour Queen with new transatlantic plane
Queen Elizabeth II will be honoured by British carrier Virgin Atlantic which will name its new Airbus after the late monarch.
Sir Richard Branson-owned Virgin will unveil its new Airbus A330neo, called Queen of the Skies, after Her Majesty who died late last year.
The plane is due to take to the skies in April this year flying from London Heathrow to the US, including New York, Miami and Tampa.
Corneel Koster, chief customer and operations officer, Virgin Atlantic, said “just like Queen Elizabeth during her historic 70-year reign, Virgin Atlantic is proud to fly the flag for the United Kingdom around the world.
“We’re delighted to soon be welcoming ‘Queen of the Skies’ to our fleet and hope that it serves as a fitting tribute to an unforgettable, much-loved monarch.”
This is the second Virgin Atlantic has named one of its carriers after the Queen, adorning the Airbus A340-600 in 2004 for a ceremony in Toulouse, to mark the centenary of a UK-France Alliance.
The Queen of the Skies is positioned at the front of the aircraft sitting above its famous mascot.
Virgin has previously named its aircraft after famous strong women, including Diana, one of its current fleet, ‘Lady Emmeline’, in tribute to the Emmeline Pankhurst and ‘Fearless Lady’, in tribute to Eve Branson, the mother of Sir Richard.