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Virgin Australia has hosted a “sky-high disco” for its annual Mardi Gras Pride Flights.
The two Sydney-bound flights from Melbourne and Brisbane on Friday were crewed entirely by LGBTQIA+ staff members and allies, including both flight and cabin crews, and featured mid-air DJ entertainment and drag performances.
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The two flights bore special flight numbers marking important milestones in Australia’s LGBTQIA+ history: VA1978 from Melbourne highlighted Australia’s first Mardi Gras parade in 1978, while VA2017 from Brisbane reflected the legalisation of same-sex marriage in 2017.
Guests included former AFLW player Moana Hope, actor Hugh Sheridan, former RuPaul’s Drag Race competitor Hannah Conda, and celebrity stylist Paul Versace.
“Pride Flight is more than just a flight – it’s a celebration of diversity and inclusion. We’re incredibly proud to bring people together in such a spectacular way and make this a standout event on our annual calendar for our teams and guests,” Virgin executive Lisa Burquest said.
“The feedback internally, particularly from the LGBTQIA+ community, is phenomenal. This is a place where they come, they feel safe, they feel valued, they feel they can really be their authentic self.”
Virgin has hosted annual Pride Flights for Mardi Gras since 2021, with a portion of ticket sales this year going to support LGBTQIA+ educational charity The Pinnacle Foundation.
According to its chief executive, Andrew Staite, the new multi-year gold partnership with the airline will support Pinnacle’s efforts to boost LGBTQIA+ opportunities.
“Support like Virgin Australia’s is essential, as it allows us to continue providing our community with the much-needed opportunity to realise their full potential and overcome challenges,” he said.
“From 2026-2028, Pride Flight proceeds will directly support the Virgin Australia Scholarship, which will be awarded to a Pinnacle Scholar who is studying from a broad range of fields relevant to aviation and tourism.”
The Pride Flights are an initiative by Virgin’s Pride Network, one of five employee-led networks that contribute to its “Belonging Strategy.”
In a statement, Virgin said the flights are “a staple event on the airline’s annual events calendar”.
“The Belonging Strategy outlines Virgin Australia’s commitment to creating a culture that makes everyone – no matter their gender, marital or family status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, abilities, ethnicity, religious beliefs, socio-economic or cultural background, perspective and experience – feel safe, included, and valued,” the carrier said.
