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| © Getty Images PHOTO: A busy terminal inside London's Heathrow Airport. (photo via GordonBellPhotography/iStock Editorial/Getty Images Plus) |
By Donald Wood, TravelPulse
London’s Heathrow Airport and British Airways celebrated rock legend Freddie Mercury’s birthday Wednesday by allowing baggage handlers to perform Mercury-inspired dance moves for travelers.
The late Queen frontman worked at Heathrow as a baggage handler before joining the band in 1970, and the airport set up an “escape from reality” in Terminal 5 that featured employees performing dances choreographed by Strictly Come Dancing and X Factor choreographer Lyndon Lloyd.
The homage to Mercury helped raise awareness for Queen’s charity The Mercury Phoenix Trust, as well as building anticipation for the upcoming movie Bohemian Rhapsody, a tribute to the story of classic rock band Queen.
“Freddie Mercury is an undisputed rock legend and it has been an absolute blast planning his birthday celebrations at Heathrow Airport, where he once worked,” British Airways baggage manager Adam Dewey said in a statement.
Today, members of our baggage team along with British Airways colleagues performed a tribute at T5 Arrivals to one-time Heathrow baggage handler Freddie Mercury, in support of @The_MPT! #ForeverFreddie #BohemianRhapsody pic.twitter.com/73l9aZM7ve— Heathrow Airport (@HeathrowAirport) September 5, 2018
“Myself and the other baggage handlers taking part have put everything into these dance routines and we can’t wait to see the faces on holidaymakers when they strut their stuff in the arrivals hall,” Dewey continued. “The new film Bohemian Rhapsody has proved a great inspiration for all of us and we can’t wait to be hot-stepping our way to the premiere next month.”
In addition to the celebration of Mercury’s birthday, Heathrow will also add Queen memorabilia to the facility’s displays in the departures area next month.
