Travel News: Virgin Atlantic Swaps Branson for 10-year-old Billy

by Shabana Adam | 29 September 2012

10-year-old was given free reign to review the 747

The pint-sized primary school pupil from Chichester was chosen from over 600 applicants to become the airline's first Junior Approvals Manager in an initiative spearheaded by the boss himself.

Billy, a plane crazy, aviation and adventure enthusiast wowed judges by creating his own plane cabin in his family home, collecting over 30 aeroplane safety cards and navigating his Dad on a flight to Switzerland.

As a child I was mad about planes and the sense of adventure and excitement of being in the sky. We wanted to find someone who feels the same way as I still do about flying

Billy had free reign of the plane, which is fresh from a 95,000 hour refit, for a day at Gatwick Airport and will submit a full report to Sir Richard giving his verdict on the newly refitted 747 fleet.

Whilst on-board, Billy was given exclusive access to the in-flight entertainment system, after dipping into some movies and then settling on playing a game he described it as "brilliant". Billy then taste-tested a new 747 menu, which is being launched along with the refitted cabins, served by the glamorous Virgin Atlantic cabin crew throughout.

He finished the day with a hands-on test of the redesigned seats, which Virgin Atlantic believe to be the comfiest ever on board a 747, and after plenty of seat adjustment and a quick snooze Billy certainly agreed. Once the ten year-old's report has been approved, the planes will go on to take over 650 flights a year, carrying over half a million children to destinations including the Caribbean and the USA.

Billy will now give a kid's eye view on future on-board improvements and will be a sounding board for all child-focused developments undertaken by the airline.

Sir Richard Branson said: "As a child I was mad about planes and the sense of adventure and excitement of being in the sky. We wanted to find someone who feels the same way as I still do about flying.

"Billy was the perfect young man for the job and he is going to be giving our newly refitted 747s the once over; watching films, eating our food and rating our wonderful cabin crew. Hopefully he'll have great fun doing it too," he added.

Billy Yeomans, said: "I gave the plane a really thorough inspection and could've sat for hours watching movies and playing on the games, even the food was quite tasty although it doesn't beat my Mum's home cooking. When I grow up I'd love to be a pilot."