LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – 1 April 2019.
Exciting news! In another bid to try and break another of the world’s airline monopolies, Virgin head Sir Richard Branson announced the launch of a new airline that will provide flights to, and within North Korea. You heard it here first!
He announced the news via a tweet this morning:
Richard continues – ‘North Korea is becoming a tourism hot spot and we want to take the opportunity of providing travellers and North Koreans with an opportunity to fly differently.’
‘We also want to provide travellers with a much better in flight experience. Apart from the military parade type soundtracks we’ll offer on board, we’ll also include easy listening songs that are DPRK approved and I’m sure we’ll be able to serve up something a tad better than this sample of mystery meat.’
So what will the new airline be called? In another Tweet, Richard confirms the name is inspired by the official name of country – the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, or DPRK:
Pyongyang is fast becoming one of the most visited cities in the not-so-free world, with an astounding 4,000 foreign tourists visiting North Korea’s capital in 2018. A new record, but still nowhere near the astronomical levels of the early 1950s.
North Korea has also invested heavily into tourism. There’s no shortage of accommodation…
and city sights to take in. While tourist numbers are increasing, travellers will find that they won’t be jostling for prime positions against other visitors….
and the local law enforcement establishment.
North Korea is home to the world’s only 1 Star rated airline (out of a possible 5) – Air Koryo which is largely made up of Soviet era planes which haven’t quite fallen out of the sky yet.
You can view Air Koryo’s entire fleet below on the tarmac at Pyongyang International Airport, waiting to take eager passengers somewhere.
Air Koryo is pretty much is the only airline that handles passenger air traffic on the northern side of the Demilitarise Zone and this North Korean government owned airline has had this lucrative market all to itself for decades.
But Sir Richard is adamant that the introduction of his new service will revolutionise flights for North Koreans and anyone wanting to visit this new north Asian must see destination.
Based on preliminary information, the Virgin Undemocratic fleet will comprise of some of the most advanced aviation technology available in the world today.
A concept of the aircraft design and livery is shown below:
In reaction to Richard’s tweet, not to be undone, United States President Donald Trump welcomed the move and didn’t hold back on his contribution to this momentous event.
And Trump also offered a bit of assistance too.
However, North Korea’s supreme leader, Kim Jong Un reacted to the news somewhat dismissively:
Bookings with Virgin Undemocratic to North Korea will open soon.
I can’t wait to go!
Well done 🙂
Thanks!