Watch the online version of UNICEF’s virtual reality film here https://youtu.be/sT7MFNk7iFg

Passengers on board an easyJet flight from London to Portugal sampled futuristic inflight entertainment with an important message as they were immersed in a three-dimensional virtual reality experience.  

The virtual reality film was created by UNICEF, the world’s leading children’s organisation, and was launched exclusively to easyJet passengers to mark World Polio Day on Monday 24 October.

UNICEF’s ambition is for polio to be completely eradicated by 2019 and rather symbolically flight EZY2019 from Luton to Faro departs Luton on World Polio day. To mark this ambition, passengers on another Luton to Faro flight watched the 360 degree film of the story of Job, the last child in Kenya to have been infected by the polio virus. UNICEF and easyJet are working together through their Change for Good partnership to help end polio.

George Totten, 9, was on the flight with his family and took part in the Virtual Reality experience. George said: “It was really cool, I felt like I was actually there with all the children and I want to do it again.”

 

The virtual reality film is narrated by Unicef UK Ambassador Ewan McGregor. Ewan said: “Polio is a devastating disease but we have the opportunity to eradicate it for good. To bring an end to polio, organizations like UNICEF need to reach every last child with vital vaccines, including children in conflict zones and hard to reach areas. UNICEF’s new Virtual Reality film about polio gives people the chance to step into another world and see what life is like for children affected by the disease and shows why we need to do everything we can to stop it.” 

The easyJet and UNICEF partnership, thanks to the generous donations of passengers, has so far helped vaccinate more than 13 million children against polio and 5.3 million mothers and babies against other deadly diseases.

Tina Milton, Head of Cabin services at easyJet said:

“To mark World Polio Day easyJet is holding a special one day collection for UNICEF on all of our flights. On Monday 24 October passengers will be asked to donate their left over holiday change, whatever the currency, to help the fight against polio. Our passengers have always been extremely generous for past collections and so we are hoping we can count on the donations of the 200,000 passengers who will be flying with easyJet on World Polio Day.”

 

If the world succeeds in ending polio it will be only the second time in history that a disease has been wiped off the planet, the first being smallpox. Since the Unicef and easyJet Change for Good partnership began in 2012, it has already raised over £8 million to help UNICEF vaccinate children and keep them safe during emergencies.

 

Unicef UK’s Executive Director, Mike Penrose, said:

“We are incredibly proud of our long standing partnership with easyJet, which has already helped vaccinate 13 million children against polio. The end of polio is within our reach and by 2019 it could be eradicated entirely. We want to thank easyJet and their passengers for the vital role they are playing in ending this terrible disease.”

UNICEF and easyJet also took the virtual reality headsets to the beaches of Faro so holiday makers could get the chance to see what reality is like for children living with the disease.

The world has never had a better opportunity to eradicate polio. Since global eradication efforts launched in 1988, the number of cases has fallen by more than 99%. There are now only three countries remaining where polio has never been stopped – Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Nigeria. But while the disease continues to survive anywhere, children everywhere remain at risk.

To watch the online version of UNICEF’s virtual reality film for polio visit https://youtu.be/sT7MFNk7iFg

ENDS

For more information about easyJet, please contact the easyJet Press Office on 01582 525252 or Andy.Cockburn@easyjet.com  

 

For more information about UNICEF please contact the UNICEF UK press office on 0207 375 6030 or media@UNICEF.org.uk

 

About UNICEF

UNICEF is the world’s leading organisation for children, promoting the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere.

Unicef UK raises funds to protect children in danger, transform their lives and build a safer world for tomorrow’s children.  As a registered charity we raise funds through donations from individuals, organisations and companies and we lobby and campaign to keep children safe. UNICEF UK also runs programmes in schools, hospitals and with local authorities in the UK. For more information please visit UNICEF.org.uk

 

About easyJet

easyJet is Europe’s leading airline offering a unique and winning combination of the best route network connecting Europe's primary airports, with great value fares and friendly service.

easyJet flies on more of Europe’s most popular routes than any other airline. easyJet carries over 70 million passengers annually, of which more than a fifth are travelling on business. easyJet flies over 255 aircraft on more than 820 routes to over 130 airports across 31 countries. More than 300 million Europeans live within one hour's drive of an easyJet airport.

easyJet aims to be a good corporate citizen, employing people on local contracts in seven countries across Europe in full compliance with national laws and recognising their trade unions. The airline supports a number of local charities and also has a corporate partnership with UNICEF which has raised over £7m for the most vulnerable children since it was established in 2012. 

The airline takes sustainability seriously. easyJet invests in the latest technology, operates efficiently and fills most of its seats which means that an easyJet passenger's carbon footprint is 22% less than a passenger on a traditional airline, flying the same aircraft on the same route.

Innovation is in easyJet’s DNA – from our launch 20 years ago when we changed the way people fly to the present day where we lead the industry in digital, web, engineering and operational innovations to make travel more easy and affordable for our passengers.