Guinness World Record representative Chris Sheedy (left) presents the Guinness World Record certificate to Fiji Airways NZ Regional general manager Shannon Currie. Photo: FIJI AIRWAYS
By RACHNA LAL
Fiji Airways has set a new Guinness World Record soaring to 41,000 feet above sea level to host the world’s ‘Highest Altitude Wedding on an Airplane’.
Five couples from New Zealand exchanged vows in the mid-air flight on Fiji Airways’ brand new Airbus A330 on Wednesday to set this record which previously was 40,000 feet.
These couples were part of a Fiji Airways promotion and can now claim getting married aboard a record-setting flight en route to their honeymoon.
The record was made official by Guinness World Records Australia and Pacific Islands adjudicator, Chris Sheedy, who joined the couples on their flight to Fiji.
The adjudicator verified the altitude and the wedding ceremony in New Zealand airspace, and awarded Fiji Airways with the record immediately.
Fiji Airways acting chief executive, Aubrey Swift, said the airline was excited to claim a Guinness World Records achievement.
“This was a unique idea to get five couples married on board, in our bid to raise awareness of the new airline branding and of Fiji as a wedding and honeymoon destination,” Mr Swift said.
“With our new brand identity and service, based around an authentic Fijian experience, a couple’s Fijian wedding really can start the moment they set foot on board.
“We’re delighted we were able to set a new Guinness World Record.
“We kept this as a surprise for our five couples and it was great to see their reaction when they found out they were part of this world record.”
An emotional record
Mr Sheedy, who has worked for the Guinness World Records for 15 years, said he has been through quite a lot of record events, but this was one which was full of emotion.
“What I often see is people having a lot of fun which is a great thing in order to break a record, but what I have seen today (Wednesday) has gone beyond that,” he said.
“There was a lot of real emotion and you don’t often get that connected to records. I was close to tears and in 15 years, that has never happened to me.”
Mr Sheedy said the way Fiji Airways went about setting the record by not informing the couples in advance was “absolutely perfect”.
“The couple had to concentrate on the fact that they were getting married and I think Fiji Airways did that very well,” he said.
“The couple concentrated on each other – they didn’t know that they were breaking records so they weren’t distracted and so whilst exchanging vows, they were not distracted by that.”
Work with corporates
Mr Sheedy said more and more corporates and organisations around the world are trying to work with Guinness World Records to set new records.
“I think it’s the added value of record value which really excites people and it encourages them to come on board,” he said.
“Some use it as the main driver for their event and some use it as a wonderful extra.”
Mr Sheedy, who generally looks after the Pacific, said there is more records expected to be broken in the Pacific soon.