AN Elvis impersonator and scantily clad showgirls provided the glitz and glamour for the launch of Thomas Cook’s new non-stop flights from Glasgow to Las Vegas.

Showgirls Joanne Allison, 23, and Maxine Scott, 20, joined Elvis impersonator Mehdi Stuart, 39, to mark the airline’s inaugural flight of the weekly summer service from Glasgow Airport to McCarran International, which departed with 300 excited passengers on board yesterday.

The new service follows a series of one-off flights to the US city in recent summers and will operate on Mondays using the airline’s Airbus A330 fleet up until October 31.

Airport visitors and those travelling on the first Las Vegas flight were treated to a host of entertainment with the helpAlea Casinos at check-in, the departure lounge and the gate, which included Rat Pack singers, dancing showgirls and a casino theme throughout.

Christoph Debus, chief airlines and hotels officer for the Thomas Cook Group, said: “It’s fantastic news that we are able to start a regular flight to Las Vegas with such a fantastic event at Glasgow Airport, and we’re looking forward to a successful summer and winter programme to this popular destination.”

Glasgow Airport commercial director Francois Bourienne said: “This is the first time Scotland has had a regular service to the entertainment capital of the world, and Thomas Cook is already reporting incredibly strong demand from customers for the new route.”