Want to finally read Fifty Shades of Grey on your way to your Fifty Shades-themed vacation, but without attracting the prying eyes of other flyers? Virgin Atlantic Airlines has you covered.
The airline announced earlier this month that they will make an audiobook version of the best-selling erotic novel available to passengers on all of its flights. The in-flight entertainment system will allow travelers to enjoy the book — which has gained fame as the fastest-selling paperback of all time — without sparking any rather awkward conversations with their seatmates. What could be worse than having to discuss the book’s bawdiness with a overly curious stranger while stuck 30,000 feet above the Atlantic?
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“Fifty Shades of Grey has quickly gained notoriety as a ‘naughty novel’ leaving some women embarrassed reading their copy in a public space,” Virgin Atlantic spokesperson Sarah McIntyre said in a press release. “We want to give our female passengers the chance to enjoy the book in an intimate way, away from prying eyes.” Fifty Shadestells the story of a young college student and her S&M relationship with a billionaire corporate executive. It has inspired a veritable frenzy
The audio version of Fifty Shades is 19 hours 47 minutes long, so perhaps Virgin is banking on some travelers planning additional journeys just to finish the story. There is no word yet on whether the book’s two sequels — Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed — will be made available on Virgin flights in the future. But travelers will need some seriously long hauls to get through the entire trilogy if that happens.
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