Sir Richard Branson, chairman of
Virgin Atlantic, today announced that the airline is planning to offer
some of its Upper Class passengers the chance to experience the Gibbs
Aquada when travelling to and from London’s Heathrow airport enabling them
to beat the traffic by taking to the Thames. Virgin Atlantic plans to
introduce the service later in the summer.
Speaking in Calais, after setting a new Guinness World Record for crossing
the channel in an amphibian—the new Gibbs Aquada—Richard Branson
said:

“For many years our Upper Class passengers have enjoyed our complimentary
limousines to and from the airport. Some people prefer our limo bikes—
chauffeured motorbikes—but we are now planning to go one step further
by introducing the chance to experience a Gibbs Aquada. This new service
follows in our tradition of product innovation and fun.

“Just as with our existing limos, those passengers travelling by Gibbs
Aquada will be met off their flights by a chauffeur who will drive them to
their home, hotel or office. But unlike our other limos when the Gibbs
Aquada hits traffic on its way to or from central London the driver simply
heads for the nearest slipway and takes to the Thames before rejoining the
roads on the final leg of the passenger’s journey.

“Using the Gibbs Aquada, we will be able to cut twenty and thirty minutes
off the journey between Heathrow and The City, giving our travellers extra
time for meetings or relaxation. The Thames is London’s defining feature
along the banks of which much of its history has been written and it’s the
best introduction to London’s great sights including the Houses of
Parliament, the London Eye and Tower Bridge. Most Londoners think that the
Thames is vastly underused and with the Gibbs Aquada’s revolutionary
technology we may see many more people using the river to get around.”

Alan Gibbs, Chairman of Gibbs Technologies, said:

“We are delighted that Virgin has so endorsed High Speed Amphibious
Technology and sees the Gibbs Aquada as a perfect fit for transporting its
Upper Class passengers. The Gibbs Aquada is a revolutionary vehicle
providing a real practical solution to London’s traffic—and there’s no
Congestion Charge!”

The first application of Gibbs Technologies’ patented High Speed Amphibian
(HSA) technology, the Gibbs Aquada represents the first road legal
high-speed sports amphibian. Neither a boat with wheels nor a waterproof
car, the Gibbs Aquada is truly a revolutionary new class of vehicle. It is
able to drive at speeds of 100mph on land and in excess of 30mph on water,
moving between surfaces at the touch of a button. For more information
please visit: http://www.aquada.co.uk/
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