A guide to Virgin Atlantic

Virgin Atlantic Information and latest news and company information

How it all started for Virgin Atlantic Airlines

Although it seems hard to even remember now Virgin Atlantic was always a top worldwide airline in fact it wasn't really that long ago that Virgin was best known for being a record label. OK even in those days Virgin were not any old record label, they boasted some of the top acts on their books such as the Rolling Stones
and Janet Jackson. It was actually in 1984 that Richard Branson saw a gap in the airline market and announced that he was to launch a top quality good value airline.

In his usual flamboyant manner Richard Branson fast tracked the whole project and in a media frenzy packed with wall to wall celebrities Virgin Atlantic was shown off to the world.

Six years later at the end of the decade Virgin Atlantic had flown over 1 million passengers and were already stirring up the airline industry by offering extras that no other airline hade even considered like individual TVs for bsuiness class passengers.

A few years later in 1992 Richard Branson off loaded Virgin Music for a nice tidy sum and invested the proceeds into the ever popular Virgin Atlantic. Later the same year Virgin Atlantic also launched it's super economy class which is now known as the Premium Economy Class.

1999 - This year was quite a big year for Virgin Atlantic to sya the least. 49% of the company was sold to Singapore Airlines valuing the company at a healthy £1.225bn. Later in the year Richard Branson became Sir Richard Branson thanks to his knighthood.

From this point on Virgin Atlantic continues to grow at a rapid rate offering new and innovative services and routes.

Virgin Atlantic Directors

Steve Ridgway - Chief Executive

Steve Ridgway is at the top of the pile and is the Chief Executive of Virgin Atlantic Airways. He has been around within the company for sometime and has been a part of the team since 1994, becoming Managing Director back in April 1998 and then promoted Chief Executive in October 2001.

Lyell Strambi - Chief Operating Officer

Lyell Strambi is Virgin Atlantic's senior executive and is in charge of over 8,500 staff in both in the UK and overseas. He oversees a number of different areas within the company such as Customer Services, Marketing, Sales & Distribution, Engineering, Flight Operations, Projects, Business Development as well as Organisational Development including HR, Recruitment and Training.

Julie Southern - Chief Financial Officer

Julie Southern is the senior executive of Virgin Atlantic Airways and is responsible for Finance, IT, Cargo, Legal, Risk and Insurance, Procurement including aircraft, Group Finance and Facility Services.

Edmond Rose - Director of Commercial & Revenue Planning

Paul Charles - Director of Communications

Paul Dickinson - Director of Sales and Marketing

Dee Cooper - Director of Product & Service

Steve Griffiths - Director of Engineering

Barry Humphreys - Director of External Affairs and Route Development

Matthew Lee - Director of Flight Operations

Tim Livett - Director of Finance

UK Locations from which Virgin Atlantic fly

Virgin Atlantic Airways Gatwick
Virgin Atlantic Airways Heathrow
Virgin Atlantic Airways Manchester
Virgin Atlantic Airways from Glasgow