Virgin Airlines

Virgin Airlines

  • By Kerry D
  • Top Airlines
  • 20.08.2016

Virgin Group is a British company that does business in several industries with entertainment, travel, and lifestyle, representing the core areas of business. The conglomerate started small back in 1970, and its founders considered they had no idea of what they were doing, and felt like virgins. As their business became more and more successful it also branched out to other sectors, and currently it includes various airlines as well.

Virgin America is one of Virgin’s brainchildren. Virgin owns only 25% of the shares of this low cost American airline, as per US laws. Virgin America offers long haul flights with a high quality service to those who want to fly from East Coast to West Coast and back.

Another airline owned by Virgin is Virgin Atlantic, founded in 1984, under the British Atlantic Airways name. Virgin Group and Delta Airlines own this airline together, with a 51% and 49% ratio, respectively. This airline flies to 31 destinations and makes use of 40 planes.

Virgin Australia Holdings Limited started out as a subsidiary of Virgin Group in 2000, however currently only 10% is still owned by the Group. Virgin Australia Holdings Limited operates Tigerair Australia and Virgin Australia airlines, along with 3 other subsidiaries.

Virgin Group used to have several other airline companies in the past, but those merged with other airlines. One such example was the Brussels based airline Virgin Express. In 2006 Virgin Express carrier formed Brussels Airlines together with SN Brussels Airlines. Most of the defunct Virgin airlines were based in countries other than United Kingdom. Other airlines simply ceased operations, like in the case of Air Nigeria, which was the result of a partnership between Virgin Group and Nigerian investors.

Passengers should know that the airlines have their own websites and reward systems for those who fly a lot.