British billionaire Richard Branson cross-dressed to work as a flight attendant for a rival airline after losing a bet to Malaysian airline tycoon Tony Fernandes. Branson served drinks and meals and made flight announcements during the six-hour trip.
The Virgin Group founder honored the bet by playing the role of a flight attendant, shaving his legs, and even putting on lipstick and a red skirt. The AirAsia flight – a company owned by Fernandes – took off in Perth, Australia, and landed near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The airline boss was also a passenger on the flight.
Fernandes gave a harsh review of Branson's skills as a flight attendant: "Out of 10, maybe one, for a bit of humor," he told reporters.
The Malaysian businessman then fired the new flight attendant
after the tycoon deliberately knocked over a tray with a glass of
orange juice directly onto Fernandez.
"He looked at me, I said, 'don't you dare,' and the next thing I know, he tipped the whole tray on me," Fernandes said.
Fernandes had to take his pants off to dry them.
"He and the girls mopped it up, but I was walking around the flight in my underwear for a while because I didn't bring another pair of trousers," the head of Malaysia's main low-cost carrier added.
Upon landing, the tycoons took a picture together, but Fernandes said that he “wanted to kill him actually" for spilling the juice.
"I always wanted to be an air hostess, but it looks like I have to get back to normality," Branson told reporters.
Branson lost the bet to Fernandes three years ago: In 2010, they wagered on which of their Formula One racing teams would finish ahead of the other by the end of the season. Fernandes' Lotus team placed two spots ahead of Branson's Virgin, which eventually finished in 12th place.
The 62-year-old Branson is the 4th richest citizen of the United Kingdom, according to the Forbes 2012 list of billionaires, with an estimated net worth of $4.5 billion. His Virgin Group encompasses more than 400 companies, including record stores, airlines, railway companies, a radio station and a racing team. The tycoon is also famous for his multiple attempts to break world speed records.
The flight helped raise money for an Australian foundation for hospitalized children. Each ticket reportedly cost around $400; 25 percent of the revenue will be given to charity.