Virgin Atlantic facts for kids
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| Founded | 1984 |
|---|---|
| Commenced operations | 22 June 1984 |
| AOC # | 534 (VAA Ltd) 2435 (VAI Ltd) |
| Hubs | |
| Frequent-flyer program | Flying Club |
| Alliance | SkyTeam |
| Fleet size | 41 |
| Destinations | 32 |
| Parent company | Virgin Atlantic Limited (owned 51% by Virgin Group, 49% by Delta Air Lines) |
| Headquarters | Crawley, West Sussex, England |
| Key people | |
| Revenue |  £2.854 billion (2022) |
| Operating income |  £-72.7 million (2022) |
| Net income | £-341.7 million (2022) |
| Total assets | £1.886 billion (2018) |
| Employees | ~7900 (2022) |
Virgin Atlantic is a British airline based in Crawley, West Sussex, England. It was started in 1984 by Richard Branson and his partners. The airline first planned to fly between London and the Falkland Islands. However, they soon changed their minds. Their very first flight took off on June 22, 1984. It flew from London–Gatwick to Newark in the USA.
Today, Virgin Atlantic is part of Virgin Atlantic Limited. The Virgin Group owns 51% of it, and Delta Air Lines owns 49%. The airline flies a mix of Airbus and Boeing planes. These are large planes that can fly long distances. Virgin Atlantic flies to places in North America, the Caribbean, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Its main base is at London–Heathrow. It also has a smaller base at Manchester.
Virgin Atlantic planes have three types of seats: Economy, Premium, and Upper Class (which is like business class). In 2020, the airline had to make some big changes because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It reduced its number of planes and staff. On March 2, 2023, Virgin Atlantic joined the SkyTeam group of airlines. This means they work with other airlines around the world.
Contents
How Virgin Atlantic Started
The First Ideas
Virgin Atlantic began with an idea from Randolph Fields, a lawyer, and Alan Hellary, a pilot. They wanted to start a new airline after another one, Laker Airways, closed down. At first, they thought about flying to the Falkland Islands. But they soon realized this would be too difficult.
So, they decided to try for a route between London and New York City. Their first request to fly to New York JFK was turned down. But they didn't give up! They then asked to fly to Newark, New Jersey.
Richard Branson Joins In
Randolph Fields met Richard Branson, a famous British businessman, at a party. Fields suggested they work together. After some talks, Branson agreed to join. The airline's name was changed to Virgin Atlantic. Fields later sold his share in the company.
First Flights and Growth
On June 22, 1984, Virgin Atlantic made its first official flight. It used a Boeing 747-200 plane called Maiden Voyager. The airline quickly became successful. Richard Branson believes in making a business work within its first year. Virgin Atlantic did just that!
The airline grew fast. In 1986, it added flights to Miami. Then came routes to New York JFK in 1988, Tokyo in 1989, and Los Angeles in 1990. More destinations like Boston and Orlando followed.
Facing Challenges and Changes
Competing with Other Airlines
In 1991, Virgin Atlantic was allowed to fly from Heathrow, a very busy airport. This meant it could compete more directly with British Airways. There were some disagreements between the two airlines. Richard Branson even sued British Airways. British Airways had to pay money to Branson and his airline.
Virgin Atlantic also showed its feelings about other airlines. For example, some of its planes had "No Way BA/AA" painted on them. This was against a possible merger between British Airways and American Airlines. Virgin Atlantic also added the Union Flag to its planes. This was a playful way to say it was a British airline.
In 2006, authorities looked into whether Virgin Atlantic and British Airways had worked together to fix fuel prices. British Airways was fined a lot of money. Virgin Atlantic was not fined because it helped the investigation.
Recent Times
Over the years, Virgin Atlantic has changed some of its routes. In 2014, it stopped flying to Sydney, Tokyo, Mumbai, Vancouver, and Cape Town. The airline also tried a domestic service called "Little Red" in the UK, but it didn't work out and stopped in 2015.
In 2017, there were talks about Air France–KLM buying a part of Virgin Atlantic, but this deal didn't happen. In 2019, Virgin Atlantic made a cool change: its female flight attendants could choose not to wear makeup and could wear trousers instead of skirts.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, it was a tough time for airlines. Virgin Atlantic had to cut jobs and stop flying from Gatwick Airport. The airline also had to get financial help to keep going. In 2022, Virgin Atlantic, like other UK airlines, stopped flying over Russia because of the conflict in Ukraine. This made some flights longer.
In 2023, Virgin Atlantic officially joined the SkyTeam airline alliance. This helps them connect with more flights and offer more options to passengers. In November 2023, Virgin Atlantic made a special flight from London to New York. It used 100% sustainable aviation fuel, showing its commitment to the environment.
How Virgin Atlantic Works
Offices Around the World
Virgin Atlantic's main office, called The VHQ, is in Crawley, England. It's close to Gatwick Airport. The company also has offices and call centers in other places in the UK, like Swansea, Wales. You can find their international offices in cities like Atlanta, Johannesburg, and Shanghai.
Who Owns Virgin Atlantic
For a while, Singapore Airlines owned a part of Virgin Atlantic. But in 2012, Delta Air Lines bought Singapore Airlines' share. This meant Delta Air Lines now owned 49% of Virgin Atlantic. The rest is owned by Richard Branson's Virgin Group.
Leaders of the Airline
The current Chairman of Virgin Atlantic is Peter Norris. The Chief Executive (CEO) is Shai Weiss. These leaders help guide the airline and make important decisions.
What It's Like to Fly
Virgin Atlantic planes have three main sections for passengers:
- Economy: The standard seating area.
- Premium: This section offers more legroom and a wider seat. Passengers also get special check-in and priority boarding.
- Upper Class: This is the airline's business class. The seats can turn into flat beds. Passengers also get access to private check-in areas.
Virgin Atlantic was one of the first airlines to offer personal entertainment screens for all passengers. The airline also has a program for frequent flyers called 'the Flying Club'.
Virgin Atlantic has special airport lounges called 'Clubhouses'. These are fancy places where Upper Class passengers and top-tier Flying Club members can relax before their flight. They have Clubhouses at airports like London Heathrow and New York JFK.
Little Red Flights
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Virgin Atlantic tried a domestic airline service called "Little Red" in the UK. It started in 2013 and flew from London to cities like Aberdeen, Edinburgh, and Manchester. The idea was to help passengers connect to Virgin Atlantic's longer flights. However, not many people used it for connections. So, Virgin Atlantic decided to stop the Little Red service in 2015.
New Uniforms and Gender Neutrality
In September 2022, Virgin Atlantic introduced new uniforms designed by Vivienne Westwood. They also announced a new policy to be more inclusive. Staff can now choose to wear either a red skirt suit or a burgundy trouser suit. They can also wear a badge that shows their preferred pronouns (like "he/him" or "she/her").
The airline also changed its ticketing system. Now, passengers with passports that show a gender-neutral option (like "U" or "X") can use that on their tickets. They can also choose "Mx" as a title.
Where Virgin Atlantic Flies
Virgin Atlantic flies to many places around the world. They also have agreements with other airlines to help passengers connect to even more destinations.
Working with Other Airlines
Virgin Atlantic has special agreements called codeshare agreements with many airlines. This means you can book a flight with Virgin Atlantic, but part of your journey might be on another airline's plane. Some of their partners include:
- Aeroméxico
- Air France
- Air New Zealand
- China Eastern Airlines
- Delta Air Lines
- KLM
- Korean Air
- Singapore Airlines
- Virgin Australia
They also have other agreements, called interline agreements, with many more airlines. This helps them offer a wider network of flights.
Virgin Atlantic's Planes
Virgin Atlantic uses only large, wide-body planes. These are built by either Airbus or Boeing.
- Airbus A330-300: This is an Airbus wide-body plane. Virgin Atlantic has 10 of these as of 2023.
- Airbus A330neo: This is a newer, more fuel-efficient version of the A330. Virgin Atlantic started using these in 2022 and has 4 of them.
- Airbus A350-1000: Another wide-body plane from Airbus. Virgin Atlantic started getting these in 2019 and has 11 as of March 2024.
- Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner: This is a wide-body plane from Boeing. It's the only Boeing model in Virgin Atlantic's fleet. They have 17 of these planes.
The Look of Virgin Atlantic Planes
Virgin Atlantic planes have a special look, called a livery. Over the years, the design has changed a bit.
- Early planes were mostly white with a red stripe.
- In the 1990s, the engines were painted red, and the "Flying Lady" was added to the front of the plane. This "Scarlet Lady" is a pin-up girl carrying a Union flag.
- Since 2010, the planes are mostly metallic silver with purple writing. The tail and engines are bright red.
Each Virgin Atlantic plane also has a unique name, usually a feminine one like Ladybird or Ruby Tuesday. Some names are special, like Queen of the Skies, named by Queen Elizabeth II. There's even one called Spirit of Sir Freddie, named after Freddie Laker, who helped the airline.
In 2019, Virgin Atlantic introduced new "Flying Icons" for its newest planes, the Airbus A350-1000s. These are illustrations of different characters that represent modern Britain.
Safety Record
Virgin Atlantic has a very good safety record. Since it started in 1984, no Virgin Atlantic plane has been completely destroyed, and there have been no passenger deaths.
There have been a few minor incidents:
- In 1997, an Airbus A340-300 had trouble with its landing gear. It landed safely at Heathrow, but the plane was damaged.
- In 2005, an Airbus A340-600 had a fuel transfer problem and landed safely in Amsterdam.
- In 2011, a Boeing 747-400 got stuck on a closed taxiway at an airport in Tobago.
- In 2014, another Boeing 747-400 had a landing gear issue and returned safely to Gatwick.
- In 2021, a Boeing 787-9 had to return to Heathrow after a laser was shined at the cockpit during takeoff.
- In 2022, a flight had to turn around because a pilot had not finished all their internal training. The pilot was fully qualified, and there was no safety risk.
- In 2024, a Virgin Atlantic plane was involved in a small ground collision with a British Airways plane at Heathrow. No one was hurt.
Images for kids
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Virgin Atlantic logo
