Rylan Clark puts his cabin crew skills to the test with Virgin Atlantic

TV presenter Rylan Clark has always dreamed of a life at 30,000ft, so Virgin Atlantic put him to the test on a flight from London to Miami. But did he make the cut?

To give him a taste of the high life, Virgin Atlantic handed Rylan one of its iconic Vivienne Westwood uniforms and showed him the ropes. Coached by the airline’s award-winning cabin crew, Rylan learnt how to master a warm welcome, deliver the best in-class service, serve the signature Mile High Tea, and mix the perfect gin and tonic, of course.

Rylan was taught by the very best, with cabin crew members, Ombi Farr, and James Cooper, at the helm. Farr and Cooper taught Rylan how to deliver the thoughtful touches and personalised service that makes Virgin Atlantic’s Economy offering so special.

Like any new starter, there was always room for improvement. In fact, the crew caught Rylan scoffing down some Mile High Tea and doodling in Virgin Atlantic kids’ packs. Despite this, Rylan did a great job, with Flight Service Manager Ombi Farr commenting: “We want all of our customers to feel special when they fly Virgin Atlantic - no matter which cabin they’re in - and Rylan really did go the extra mile to do that. He brought the energy, warmth and fun that our customers know and love.”

Virgin Atlantic

As for Rylan, he was pretty pleased with the experience too: “If you’ve flown Virgin Atlantic, you’ll know how wonderful the crew are and how hard they work to make everyone feel special – I’ve had just a taster of that, but these teams are looking after thousands of customers every week. If TV doesn’t work out for me, I know where I’ll be going if they’ll have me!”

The flight touched down as new research found that 66% of travellers say their onboard experience can make or break a trip, with a positive in-flight experience driven predominantly by warm and welcoming cabin crew (75%). This is followed by good food and drink (61%), and small, personal touches that make people feel special (41%).

Virgin Atlantic

A further 49% stated their holiday starts the moment they arrive at the airport. 80% of respondants said a great flight means they enjoy their holiday more and 90% said a great flight makes them feel more relaxed.

Virgin Atlantic has been making people feel special for 40 years now. To kick off its birthday celebrations, Virgin Atlantic unveiled the newest plane in its fleet, called Ruby Rebel, in honour of Richard Branson and the airline’s focus on smart disruption.

Virgin Atlantic

Virgin Atlantic Economy offers three ways to fly - Economy Light, Classic and Delight. Economy Light offers hand luggage only, Economy Classic includes 23kg baggage allowance, plus hand luggage, while Economy Delight offers Premium check in desks and priority boarding, plus extra legroom on board. All Economy services include delicious food and drink, as well as little touches like afternoon tea, ice lollies, entertainment, sustainable alternatives, and delightful personal service.

Visit Virgin Atlantic to learn more.