The Traveller's Magazine
Around two dozen passengers who booked flights on some of the first flights up into space onboard Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic have cancelled their tickets following an air crash which killed a pilot.
Each passenger who cancelled their flight ticket was refunded £157,000. This is the first time any of the 800 potential space travellers have pulled out of the project since tickets first went on sale. The crash on October 31st in California certainly did put a dent in Richard Branson’s plans to send paying passengers into space. One pilot, Michael Alsbury died in the incident, while the other, Peter Siebold is still injured in the hospital.
George Whitesides, the company’s chief executive officer, said in an interview with the Daily Telegraph that a few people have asked for a refund, but many have said, “don’t give up, keep going, we’re with you.” Branson’s dream will come true, even if it will take a bit longer than expected.
