Branson debuts as AirAsia stewardess


AirAsia boss Tony Fernandes gets to grips with his latest air hostess. Photo: AirAsia

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP)-- British billionaire Sir Richard Branson strutted his stuff as an AirAsia flight attendant yesterday (May 12), complete with fishnet stockings and figure-hugging red pencil skirt, false eyelashes – and his trademark beard.

His star turn on the flight from Perth, Australia, to the Kuala Lumpur came after he lost a Grand Prix bet with the AirAsia founder Tony Fernandes.

Virgin boss Branson agreed with AirAsia chief executive Tony Fernandes in 2010 that whoever’s Formula One team – then Virgin and Lotus – finished their debut season lower would serve as a stewardess on the other’s airline.

The British tycoon came off worse after Virgin ended 12th in the World Constructors’ Championship, two spots behind Lotus. But his stint as a stewardess was postponed in early 2011 after he injured himself skiing.

There was no escape on Sunday however, when Branson was recruited to serve coffee, tea and meals on the five-and-a-half-hour flight.

Though he kept his trademark beard, he shaved his legs to show them off in black fishnets beneath his red AirAsia uniform. He topped off the outfit with bright red lipstick, heavy eye make-up and his blonde hair pulled back in a quiff.

Photos from the flight showed him chatting with passengers and serving food to Fernandes, who used to work for Branson in the music industry.

“This has been a real first for me but I have enjoyed the experience,” Branson was quoted as saying in an AirAsia statement. “I’ve always said I’m a man of my word and I’m happy to have finally honoured the bet.”

Branson disembarked in red flat ballet pumps and posed with a handbag for waiting media.

Fernandes said Branson graduated as an AirAsia cabin crew member “with flying colours” – despite Branson “accidentally” spilling a drink all over him.

AirAsia donated part of the money from ticket sales for the flight to a children’s charity in Australia.

Since the original bet was made between Branson and Fernandes, Virgin’s team has been bought by Marussia Motors, while Fernandes’ team has been renamed Caterham. Both of those teams finished 2012 with no points.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2013-05-13

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jM7FsXvf2Kk

The world going to hell in a handbasket... and one of its billionaires carries one....

Typical stewardess ..threw the orange juice over one of the passengers....Just lucky it was Fernandez.

Come to think of it it may be the first time AirAsia had real smiling service.

is there anything this bloke will not do for publicity?

Look just another sales pitch. Richard come off your high horse or other people will bring you down. Look around and they are sharpening their tools like on this website

Holey moley.

I think I saw that guy standing on the beach road in Pattaya late one night last week.

Felt kind of sorry, as I doubted he/she would get many customers.

BTW, I doubt he's worried about his reputation as the consummate promoter. It's served him quite well, and I love to see and hear the guy each and every time.

Great publicity for Virgin......he wins the bet either way!

Its a good old fun wager, its good that billionairs pay up somehow. How is his airline coming with Flights into Space?? I have flown that same flight Airasia from Australia to Malaysia great flight & fairly priced!!

I always liked him... have any of you seen his show "The Rebel Billionaire"? It was trip... to bad it only lasted 1 season, it was way better that Donald Trump's "The Apprentice"

I personally think the world needs someone like him to brighten our lives. He has done just about everything zany there is to do so serving on an Air Asia flight is just another giggle! Love Him!!

I always liked him... have any of you seen his show "The Rebel Billionaire"? It was trip... to bad it only lasted 1 season, it was way better that Donald Trump's "The Apprentice"

I'm a fan of Sir Richard Branson too but I also like Donald Trump as well. I've flown Virgin America and Virgin Atlantic.

Richard Branson has a wonderful product and it's always a pleasure to fly on his airlines. Virgin Airlines is the polar opposite of that $h!tty, low-class, trash derelict of an airline called Air Asia. I'm surprised that Branson would even know Tony Fernandes since their approach to running an airline is so opposite.

Yes he is a publicity guy but so what. The guy has class, personality and still wants travelling to be a fun experience. I see nothing wrong with that at all.

I never watched Donald Trump's shows but I have read a few of his books and I listen to his speeches and interviews. Yes he is pompous and has an ego but so what? I like what the man has to say and he does raise some valid points. I find it interesting how Trump was a media darling for over 20 years but once he started criticizing the anointed golden child currently in the White House, suddenly the press turned against him.

Regardless, kudos to Branson!

I wish Virgin Atlantic served Bangkok.

How can anyone possibly like Donald Trump? He's an out-of-touch buffoon who only cares about his bank balance. And that wig...

Holey moley.

I think I saw that guy standing on the beach road in Pattaya late one night last week.

Felt kind of sorry, as I doubted he/she would get many customers.

BTW, I doubt he's worried about his reputation as the consummate promoter. It's served him quite well, and I love to see and hear the guy each and every time.

He is a shameless self-promoter. But I admire and respect this guy. I like what he's about.

Branson's self promotion via hare brained pranks like this are tedious, tiresome and boring. I'm not sure that it would attract any business, and may have the opposite effect. I generally won't patronize businesses that have advertising aimed at the lowest 1% of the intellectual spectrum, and this qualifies.

pity there isn't more like Sir Richard, this fellow is wonderful in so many respects...kudos to the man...

I've seen worse looking air hostesses on airlines in America!

Look just another sales pitch. Richard come off your high horse or other people will bring you down. Look around and they are sharpening their tools like on this website

that should put him in his place

Look just another sales pitch. Richard come off your high horse or other people will bring you down. Look around and they are sharpening their tools like on this website

You bet they are OldSalty, and I'm one of them. Branson. Dirty Capitalist Bas--rd.

I've seen worse looking air hostesses on airlines in America!

I flew Syrian Air from Dhahran, Saudi Arabia to Damascus Syria, one of the stewards looked like Dick Budkus, American football player. I think she was also the air marshal.

Some people will always knock those who are successful I call it jealously though they probably wouldn't admit to it.

Nobody can dispute though that he is a very successful businessman I kudos to the man.

"Both teams finished 2012 with no points"

Still better than QPR

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

Typical stewardess ..threw the orange juice over one of the passengers....Just lucky it was Fernandez.

Come to think of it it may be the first time AirAsia had real smiling service.

In my experience of about 60 flights with Air Asia, the smiling service provided by the cabin crew is a highlight of the trip. I cant fault them.

Some people will always knock those who are successful I call it jealously though they probably wouldn't admit to it.

Nobody can dispute though that he is a very successful businessman I kudos to the man.

I totally agree

How can anyone possibly like Donald Trump? He's an out-of-touch buffoon who only cares about his bank balance. And that wig...

You've described almost every single politician - some of which you voted for.

At least Sir Richard Branson is selling a product that people want to buy and is making money. Can't say that about most governments.

You guys who are "bitching & moaning" crack me up.

Face it, if you had HIS money, and everything else, there's nothing saying you wouldn't make a "friendly wager" with a competitor, but if you lost, would you have the balls to pay up the way he did? How many of us, throughout our lives, have made bets with others over things, with what some might consider "silly" wagers?

I once had to shave my head for a week over a Super Bowl game. Come on, lighten up and look at it for what it was.

So what if it was a publicity stunt? In my opinion it makes these guys more "human", and breaks the stereotypical image of "ruthless, heartless corporate entities".

The biggest difference between Sir Richard and those of you who can only gripe and bitch about this? It's not his money or position, but the fact that He ENJOYS life, while all you can do is sit around feeling sorry for yourself and complain about anything and everything.

Look just another sales pitch. Richard come off your high horse or other people will bring you down. Look around and they are sharpening their tools like on this website

You bet they are OldSalty, and I'm one of them. Branson. Dirty Capitalist Bas--rd.

Totally disagree, I remember reading about the bet at the time that it was made, I think in Air Asia In flight magazine. The man has paid his dues, and if he gets positive publicity from it, good luck to him.

What a good sport!

Great to see someone being that successful and still not taking themselves seriously - that sort of groundedness takes a strength of character that is uncommon these days, especially in the corporate world.

The world going to hell in a handbasket

- Wow - what a bright outlook on life you have!

Branson's self promotion via hare brained pranks like this are tedious, tiresome and boring. I'm not sure that it would attract any business, and may have the opposite effect. I generally won't patronize businesses that have advertising aimed at the lowest 1% of the intellectual spectrum, and this qualifies.

It got your attention? how does that rate your intelligence?

Ludicrous. Nonsense.

You guys who are "bitching & moaning" crack me up.

Face it, if you had HIS money, and everything else, there's nothing saying you wouldn't make a "friendly wager" with a competitor, but if you lost, would you have the balls to pay up the way he did? How many of us, throughout our lives, have made bets with others over things, with what some might consider "silly" wagers?

I once had to shave my head for a week over a Super Bowl game. Come on, lighten up and look at it for what it was.

So what if it was a publicity stunt? In my opinion it makes these guys more "human", and breaks the stereotypical image of "ruthless, heartless corporate entities".

The biggest difference between Sir Richard and those of you who can only gripe and bitch about this? It's not his money or position, but the fact that He ENJOYS life, while all you can do is sit around feeling sorry for yourself and complain about anything and everything.

J1V, I disagree with a lot of what you say.

Guys like Branson knowingly make losing bets so that they will have to pay up, and raise their profiles. I recall a few years back when football coaches would make ridiculous bets and if they lost, they'd have to wash the winner's Ferrari with a toothbrush or something similarly infantile. They intentionally wait until their names haven't been in the press for a couple of weeks, then offer to pay. I find his self promotion just plain boring.

I don't think, for a s second, that anybody who expresses a contrary view is 'sitting around feeling sorry for himself, and complains about anything and everything." That is just a foolish statement. There would be many CEO's who cringe when he's up to his antics.

brianb1944, exactly my experience with Air Asia. Great airline from my personal experience.

For those of you who think Branson is the ultimate businessman, he is a true enterpreneur, and has had more businesses fail than succeed. He went into the airline business so under capitalized that if the aircraft had blown an engine on its first flight, the cost would have crippled him, and he would have been out of business. That's the way enterpreneurs operate, on the financial edge.

A friend recently showed me a book of his, in which the story of an incident at Gatwick (I think) was told. A Virgin A330 had a main gear not drop for landing, and Branson had said that he gave his pilots the freedom to deal with emergencies as they saw best. I can tell you, as a retired airline pilot, that if a pilot in command departs from the manufacturer approved procedure for such a serious emergency, he would never fly for an airline again, and have his ass dragged through the courts if there was loss of life. The insurance company would also be reluctant to pay. That was no more than a BS story to make him look good....self promotion yet again.

He's done well, no doubt about that, but I do find his antics more than a little infantile.