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Virgin Atlantic Airways – from Record Label to Airline
Virgin Atlantic Airways is one of the most dazzling names among airlines. The main reasons for this are its original focus on modern lifestyle-oriented service concepts, its unusual corporate history, and the visibility of co-owner Richard Branson. You can learn more about all aspects of Virgin as an airline in the article below.
Contents
General Information
The British airline Virgin Atlantic is headquartered in London, with Heathrow Airport serving as its hub. As part of a complex corporate structure, it belongs—within a joint venture—to both Delta Air Lines and the merged airlines Air France and KLM. Nevertheless, it continues to operate under the Virgin Atlantic label, with 51% of the shares owned by the Virgin Group. It is also a member of the SkyTeam airline alliance.
History of Virgin Atlantic Airways
Virgin Atlantic Airways is a relatively young airline but has a dynamic and particularly unusual history. It was founded as British Atlantic Airways in 1982, originally intended to operate flights between London and the Falkland Islands. For economic reasons, however, the first route launched in 1984 was between London Gatwick and Newark in New York, using a leased Boeing 747.
That same year, the airline was acquired by the Virgin Group under CEO Richard Branson. This was a highly unconventional move, as the company had been founded in the 1970s as the record label Virgin Records. Unexpected success came with its very first release: Artist Mike Oldfield’s debut album became a commercial hit because parts of it were used in the movie The Exorcist. With the revenue, the risk-taking Branson signed additional successful musicians and, with the launch of the airline, began increasingly diversifying the company.
In the following decades, the airline’s history remained closely tied to the ever-expanding Virgin Group. For a time, space travel and rail services were also part of the portfolio, but these were later sold off, just like the music label. On the other hand, Virgin Holidays and a 25% minority stake in Virgin Australia still belong to the Virgin Group. In other sectors, the Virgin brand is licensed but does not belong to the group—such as in the case of Virgin Media.
Route Network
As the name suggests, the main focus lies on transatlantic routes. Most of Virgin Atlantic’s destinations are in the United States, but the airline also serves destinations in North and Central America as well as the Caribbean. There are also regular routes to Asia and Africa, although some major destinations—such as Tokyo—are no longer served in recent years. Within Europe, all destinations are located in the United Kingdom. Nevertheless, the airline continues to hold significant importance in international air travel, as it frequently participates in codeshare flights and interline agreements through SkyTeam and its joint ventures.
Fleet & Technology
The Virgin Atlantic fleet primarily consists of medium-sized aircraft. The original 747 jets were phased out over the years, and while Airbus A380 aircraft were ordered, the orders were ultimately cancelled due to delivery delays. Today’s fleet includes Airbus A330-300, A330-900, A350-1000 aircraft, and the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.
Services
Like many airlines, Virgin no longer offers a traditional First Class. However, the airline sees itself as a lifestyle carrier and was the first to offer personal in-flight entertainment for all passengers. Even today, the focus on customer needs is evident—for example, through the three-tiered Economy Class offering: Light, Classic, and Delight, with increasingly better baggage options and additional legroom.
Above Economy Class, Virgin Atlantic offers its Premium cabin as an upgrade. Here, passengers enjoy wider seats, separate check-in counters, and more legroom. The highest cabin class, Upper Class, is largely equivalent to a Business Class product. Seats can be converted into fully flat beds, and passengers have access to a dedicated check-in lounge.
Even though you cannot fly with Virgin Atlantic directly from Germany, there are many ways to use the airline for onward travel and experience its unique concept. With our bonus program, you may even be able to save a little. We already wish you a pleasant journey!
