Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome aboard. I now pronounce you husband and wife.
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Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome aboard. I now pronounce you husband and wife.
BUDGET UK airline easyJet has announced its intention to hold marriage ceremonies mid-flight in a unique revenue-raising idea.
EasyJet is investigating whether its pilots could become authorised to carry out weddings during flights. The plan would see the captain hand over to the co-pilot once airborne in order to officiate the wedding at the front of the plane.
The time-saving move would mean couples could marry while flying to their honeymoon destination.
The airline announced the plan after their research showed more and more people dream of marrying above the clouds.
"We're excited about these plans" said Paul Simmons, easyJet's UK regional general manager, told The Guardian.
"If there is the opportunity, our pilots could be marrying couples in the air. Future brides and grooms can say 'I will' on the flight from London Gatwick to Olbia, on Sardinia, for example. After their marriage at a height of 30,000 feet they then can go directly on their honeymoon."
However, easyJet will face legal challenges before it can start marrying people in the clouds. In the UK marriages must be conducted in a permanent structure that doesn’t move, and be officiated by a minister of religion or registrar employed by a local council.
It is a unique approach to cost-cutting, with United Airlines and Ryanair looking to apply extra charges to overweight passengers to generate more revenue.
United Airlines passengers are now required to buy a second ticket or upgrade to business class on United Airlines flights, while Ryanair announced last month that it was looking at how it could introduce a "fat tax".
EasyJet is investigating whether its pilots could become authorised to carry out weddings during flights. The plan would see the captain hand over to the co-pilot once airborne in order to officiate the wedding at the front of the plane.
The time-saving move would mean couples could marry while flying to their honeymoon destination.
The airline announced the plan after their research showed more and more people dream of marrying above the clouds.
"We're excited about these plans" said Paul Simmons, easyJet's UK regional general manager, told The Guardian.
"If there is the opportunity, our pilots could be marrying couples in the air. Future brides and grooms can say 'I will' on the flight from London Gatwick to Olbia, on Sardinia, for example. After their marriage at a height of 30,000 feet they then can go directly on their honeymoon."
However, easyJet will face legal challenges before it can start marrying people in the clouds. In the UK marriages must be conducted in a permanent structure that doesn’t move, and be officiated by a minister of religion or registrar employed by a local council.
It is a unique approach to cost-cutting, with United Airlines and Ryanair looking to apply extra charges to overweight passengers to generate more revenue.
United Airlines passengers are now required to buy a second ticket or upgrade to business class on United Airlines flights, while Ryanair announced last month that it was looking at how it could introduce a "fat tax".
Are they for real? Kind of outside the job requirements...
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Where do these "regional general manager's" come from? If this is the calibre of Numpty we have running middle management at airlines it just goes to show how pathetic these people are.
It'll never happen, not just because of the current English legislation regarding licenced places and who can perform marriages but because the current DfT security arrangements whereby a pilot is only allowed out of his cubby hole for "physiological" reasons and I've no doubt that they will eventually require us to use bottles or diapers to avoid even that flaw in their security theatre plans.
One other thing... I know that I wouldn't want to officiate at some cheesy, chav infested ceremony for a wedding. At least not unless I am handsomely rewarded for my new found skills as an officiator of legally binding ceremonies. Balpa will certainly have to get involved if the inmates of the government mad house ever do decide to even consider this stupid proposal by some easyJet back office numpty!
It'll never happen, not just because of the current English legislation regarding licenced places and who can perform marriages but because the current DfT security arrangements whereby a pilot is only allowed out of his cubby hole for "physiological" reasons and I've no doubt that they will eventually require us to use bottles or diapers to avoid even that flaw in their security theatre plans.
One other thing... I know that I wouldn't want to officiate at some cheesy, chav infested ceremony for a wedding. At least not unless I am handsomely rewarded for my new found skills as an officiator of legally binding ceremonies. Balpa will certainly have to get involved if the inmates of the government mad house ever do decide to even consider this stupid proposal by some easyJet back office numpty!
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It's just a PR gimmick.
The only way this could be done in a way that the public perception of safety is not undermined is to have a relief captain onboard, which would have to be paid by the bride and groom (or bride+bride or groom+groom if they allow that).
Locos stay up all night trying to brainstorm ideas like fat tax or flying weddings to get a few more cm of press ink.
The only way this could be done in a way that the public perception of safety is not undermined is to have a relief captain onboard, which would have to be paid by the bride and groom (or bride+bride or groom+groom if they allow that).
Locos stay up all night trying to brainstorm ideas like fat tax or flying weddings to get a few more cm of press ink.
Paxing All Over The World
polarbear767 is correct - British marriage laws make this impossible. They could only do a make believe ceremony. Better off using Concorde BOAC at MAN where they do have part of the rear cabin licensed.
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Looks like Easy Jet have been taking lessons at the Michael O'Leary school of free publicity generation. 
Of course, nothing stopping them chartering out aircraft as flying wedding venues and taking a vicar along to do the job. If people can pay for it!
Of course, nothing stopping them chartering out aircraft as flying wedding venues and taking a vicar along to do the job. If people can pay for it!
