Virgin Balloon Flights to fly the flag for World Cup

The St George’s Cross will be soaring high in the sky above England throughout the football World Cup as Virgin hot air balloons fly the flag at several thousand feet. Virgin Balloon Flights will be showing their support for the national team during the 2010 FIFA World Cup by displaying England flags on the baskets of all balloons flying over the country. The large red and white flags will be in place from England’s first game against USA on Saturday, June 12, for as long as they are in the competition out in South Africa. The hot air balloons, which take people on pleasure flights from locations throughout mainland Britain, are likely to be in the air during some of England’s matches and bosses had considered playing them on radios during flights or event rigging up flat screen televisions in the basket.

But Virgin Balloon Flights’ spokesman Alexander Ferguson said: “We’re sure that some people will be taking champagne balloon rides with us to escape all of the World Cup hype so we won’t be broadcasting the matches during flights. However, we wanted to do something and we have a unique opportunity to show our support at several thousand feet.

“This is the first time we’ve done anything like this and we’ll be proud to fly the St George’s Cross flag on all of our balloons in England for as long as we are in the competition. Hopefully they’ll reach the final and bring the Word Cup trophy home.”

[caption id="attachment_475" align="alignleft" width="227"] Virgin balloon flying the England flag[/caption] After the USA, England will take on Algeria on June 18 and Slovenia on June 23 before progressing to the second stage if they successfully finish first or second in the group. Virgin Atlantic is providing the England team with its own plane which will fly direct from London Heathrow to Johannesburg on 2 June, ready for the kick-off. The Airbus A340-600 will carry Fabio Capello the England Manager and his 23 man squad along with its key support team.