In 2010, Virgin Group’s CEO Sir Richard Branson and AirAsia champ Tan Sri Tony Fernandes wagered on their respective Formula One (F1) teams finishing ahead of the other during their debut season in Abu Dhabi. Sir Richard Branson lost, which meant that he would serve as a female flight attendant on board the AirAsia airline.
Needless to say, he ended up with the AirAsia uniform in his arms, personally handed to him by Tony Fernandes himself.
Just yesterday, Richard Branson sportingy donned AirAsia’s iconic red stewardess outfit complete with makeup and hairdo as he finally fulfilled his side of the best that he made with Tony Fernandes. He also shaved his legs as promised but insisted on keeping his beard:
Imagine the impression he made as he batted his false eyelashes and smiled at the crowd upon arriving at LCCT after serving as an air stewardess on a special AirAsia X charity flight from Perth, Australia Sunday morning. He spent the five-and-a-half hour flight pouring coffee or tea, serving meals, distributing goodies, entertaining as well as making in-flight announcements.
However, Branson also made sure he got his revenge on Tony Fernandes by purposely tipping a tray full of orange juice over the AirAsia boss. “I looked at him and said ‘Don’t you dare’. I wanted to kill him!”, said Tony Fernandes with a laugh.
He then told reporters he had to be in his underpants for a while as he did not bring a change of clothing, but that another flight member had kindly lent him a pair of shorts while his jeans were being dried.
Upon landing, Tony Fernandes promptly “fired” Richard Branson and gave him a certificate to recognise he had “graduated” as an AirAsia stewardess. Richard Brandon, on the other hand, said that he had huge respect for the “fabulous flight attendants” who performed their jobs everyday.
Around RM600,000 was raised for the charity flight which will go to the Starlight Children’s Foundation in Australia. The foundation is dedicated to brightening the lives of seriously ill and hospitalised children and their families across the country.
(Source)
