Richard Branson announces Virgin Mega Balloon for Greenwich

More Hot Air between airline rivals?

Greenwich, 22 April 1996

Virgin chairman Richard Branson today announced his Mega Millennium balloon project costing one million pounds in New York. The media & airline entrepreneur and record-breaking balloonist has put forward proposals for a tethered gas balloon which would offer paying passengers views of London from 300m (1,000ft.)

Virgin's balloon would be only the second of its kind in the world. The spherical balloon, 90ft in diameter and emblazoned with Virgin's logo, would carry 50 passengers at a time from Greenwich.

At 300m (1,000ft) in clear conditions it would offer a view of Greater London and surrounding counties and even overlook the Canary Wharf Tower, at 240m (800ft) the tallest building in Britain, on the Isle of Dogs opposite.

"I came up with the idea in Marrakech, Morocco, when I was hoping to launch my round-the-world balloon trip."

"We spent a lot of time waiting around for the weather, thinking of mad ideas, and this was one of them.''

Branson had seen the view from the top of Canary Wharf Tower, closed to the public for security reasons, and thought it was a pity that the incredible vista was not seen by more people.

The current Virgin Balloon Team can often be seen flying from Blackheath.

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