Virgin Atlantic is paying tribute to Sir Richard Branson 's late mother Eve Branson, by naming one of its new A350 planes after her.
Mrs Branson sadly passed away in January aged 96, after a battle with coronavirus.
The airline announced that it would be marking International Women's Day by naming two new aircraft after inspirational women; one honouring Eve, the other paying tribute to Emmeline Pankhurst.
The A350 paying homage to Eve Branson will be named 'Fearless Lady' and be registered as G-VEVE.
When announcing the news of his mother's passing earlier this year, Richard Branson wrote a touching post in which he said that "rather than mourn her loss, I want to celebrate her wonderful life, her tremendous spirit".
Describing his mother as a "force of nature" he wrote: "She lived many remarkable lives. She took glider lessons disguised as a boy, enlisted in the WRENS during World War II, toured Germany as a ballet dancer after the war, acted on the West End stage and worked as a pioneering air hostess on the treacherous British South American Airways routes.
"When I was growing up she was always working a project; she was inventive, fearless, relentless - an entrepreneur before the word existed."
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As well as the tribute to Eve Branson, Virgin Atlantic will also be naming one of its new A350s 'Lady Emmeline', registered as G-VLIB - in homage to the founder of the Suffragette movement, Emmeline Pankhurst.
The company said that any charitable donations received on-board Lady Emmeline will be distributed to a selection of women’s charities, when the plane enters service in April 2022 on long-haul flights.
Estelle Hollingsworth, Chief People Officer at Virgin Atlantic, commented: "We’re delighted to be celebrating two fearless females this International Women’s Day. Having their names emblazoned on the side of our planes will act as a lasting reminder of their spirit and the determination to drive positive change that both of these exceptional women encompassed.
"Today, we will also be celebrating our own women in aviation.
"We are focussed on being a fair, diverse, and inclusive employer that attracts the best talent, regardless of gender. We’re committed to creating an environment that allows women to thrive in the workplace, by ensuring we have a gender balance in leadership positions, as well as creating a framework for future talent to flourish."
You can find out more on virginatlantic.com.
