While some travelers, agents and/or suppliers may be on edge about the Gulf of Mexico oil spill and its potential effect on the state of Florida, Virgin Holidays is not flinching. The UK holiday company, which offers packages to Florida, is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2010 with its firs- ever liveried plane. The aircraft, a Virgin Atlantic 747-400, was officially revealed by Sir Richard Branson at London Gatwick Airport today before departing to Orlando with over 350 Virgin Holidays customers aboard.
In celebration of Virgin Holidays' status as the UK's official holiday company to Universal Orlando Resort, home of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, the plane features the official logo of the park emerging from an atmospheric cloudscape.
Virgin Holidays began services to Florida with a charter service from London to Miami in 1985. Since then, the company estimates it has flown in excess of 10,000 return flights to the Sunshine State, carrying more than 2.5 million customers over 60 million miles. Last year, 100,000 travelled on direct services from Gatwick, Manchester and Glasgow.
As the UK's official holiday company to Universal Orlando Resort, Virgin Holidays customers will be able to take advantage of a number of exclusive benefits when visiting The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, including:
* Early park admission to experience The Wizarding World of Harry Potter rides and attractions
* Free parking at Universal Orlando Resort for a full day
* Complimentary breakfast
* Commemorative free gift
The new aircraft is scheduled to fly on but not limited to, Antigua, Barbados, St. Lucia, Tobago, Grenada, Kingston and Montego Bay in Jamaica, San Juan in Puerto Rico, Havana in Cuba, LasVegas , and Orlando from London Gatwick, Manchester and Glasgow.