As the UK prepares to welcome visitors from across the world to mark the coronation of King Charles, several airlines, including Virgin Atlantic and UK flag carrier British Airways, will invite their passengers to join in with the celebrations ahead of the king’s coronation ceremony on Saturday.
Visitors to Receive Special Welcome
In addition to their celebratory hashtag ‘British Heirways’, British Airways has teamed up with national tourist agency VisitBritain to decorate the London Heathrow flight path with a celebratory mural designed to give inbound passengers a ‘royal welcome’. The artwork in Thornbury Park in Hounslow measures 47m by 64m, and can be viewed by those landing via runway 27L. The flowers are a central feature of the mural and were designed by sisters Jasmine and Raya Prajapati, aged 9 and 12, at their local holiday club, Fun Fest Hounslow. The young artists sketched their ideas around the theme of ‘the natural world’, in an effort to reference the King’s passion for environmentalism.
Visitors to the UK flying with British Airways during the next week will have the opportunity to be involved in a range of themed festivities. On the day of the coronation itself, luxury lounges in Gatwick and Heathrow will be open to all BA customers with the surnames ‘King’ or ‘Queen’. Meanwhile, passengers up in the air will be offered an array of exclusive Coronation-themed sweet treats to enjoy whilst they watch a live stream of the ceremony. This will be made accessible via BA’s in-flight WiFi service, free of charge. The special desserts include a bespoke lemon and white chocolate mousse topped with a chocolate crown, inspired by the King’s well-known love of lemon cream.
Lisa Tremble, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer for British Airways, said,
“We are excited to be able to celebrate this significant moment in history. As Britain’s flag carrier, we are proud to be welcoming visitors to our home and celebrating with our customers on board, offering a selection of Coronation-themed surprises to mark the occasion. We are also celebrating with our fantastic colleagues across our airports and offices and crewing a flight full of colleagues called Charles and Camilla, so it will definitely be a weekend we won’t forget!”
Virgin Atlantic Marks the Occasion
Virgin Atlantic has also updated its in-flight menu ahead of the coronation weekend and will be offering passengers in their upper and premium classes a bespoke mile-high tea. Sweet treats will include a warm scone with clotted cream and strawberry jam, and a trio of mini patisseries including a raspberry and rosewater macaroon, a calisson with white chocolate and Earl Grey ganache, and an aptly decorated red, white and blue Battenburg. These will all be offered in addition to the limited edition Eton Mess ‘Coronation Popcorn’ by London-based Joe and Seph’s.
Celebrate the King’s coronation on the Ground at London Heathrow
Alongside BA’s celebratory mural, visitors landing at Heathrow can expect to see all manner of coronation-themed decorations across the terminals. A number of lucky passengers will be able to get their hands on a bespoke commemorative luggage tag designed by London-based artist Morag Myerscough in collaboration with the airport. The distinctive and colourful memento was released on May 1st and will remain available to travellers until May 10th.
Nigel Milton, Chief of Staff at Heathrow, commented:
“Heathrow is the world’s gateway to the UK and we’re delighted to have commissioned this new luggage tag to capture a bit of the magic of one of Britain’s most important institutions. Crowning a new monarch is a once in a lifetime experience, and these commemorative keepsakes will give our passengers the chance to remember the celebrations and that ‘I was there’ feeling.”
Which of these Coronation celebrations is your favourite? Let us know in the comments below!
