20
de Juliol
de
2016
Act.
20
de Juliol
de
2016
Sir Richard Branson (Blackheath, London, 1950) had no intention of setting up an airline, all he wanted was to meet up with a "beautiful woman" who was waiting for him in the Virgin Islands. Branson, founder of the Virgin Records label, had to put up with "the horrible service" of American Airlines –and the other airlines of the time- and so he decided to set up his own company. Virgin Atlantic Airlines was founded in 1984, out of vengeance.
American Airlines reallocated all of the passengers from a cancelled flight going from Puerto Rico to the British Virgin Islands. So Branson crossed the airport, rented a plane, grabbed a piece of card and wrote on it: "Virgin Air, $39 single flight". He went around the airport and ended up filling the flight with people. As they were landing, one passenger said to Branson: "Virgin Airways isn't too bad – smarten up the service and you could be in business."
Branson was a frequent flier and thought the service on airlines was terrible: "Uncomfortable seats, a lack of entertainment, rude staff and bad food," wrote the businessman in a letter for the company's 30th anniversary. He didn't think twice. Branson proposed returning glamour to the skies.
The director rang Boeing asking to buy a secondhand 747, and then he took on engineers and experienced pilots. However, 95% of the cabin staff said they had never worked for another airline company. Flying would be a new experience. Yet, Virgin Airlines was the first company to put screens in the back of seats to watch films during the flight. They sold first-class seats at business class prices. The first Virgin Airlines flight –such as it was- took place in 1982 from the United Kingdom to the Falkland Islands.
Despite the enthusiasm and fun with which Branson launched the airline, the numbers did not add up. The businessman sold his record label in order to bail out the airline. And that was the best decision he could have made, especially with the later collapse of the music industry.
While Virgin Airlines took flight, American Airlines declared bankruptcy in 2011. In the summer of 2012, the US airline considered merging its business with five companies, one of which was Virgin.
The British company founded by Branson operates in 29 airports in Asia, Africa, Europe and America and has other subsidiaries. Last year it carried 5,939,000 passengers and made profits of 20 million euros.
Branson can be glad to have rented that plane so as not to be late for his date with that "beautiful woman" who today is his wife.
American Airlines reallocated all of the passengers from a cancelled flight going from Puerto Rico to the British Virgin Islands. So Branson crossed the airport, rented a plane, grabbed a piece of card and wrote on it: "Virgin Air, $39 single flight". He went around the airport and ended up filling the flight with people. As they were landing, one passenger said to Branson: "Virgin Airways isn't too bad – smarten up the service and you could be in business."
Branson was a frequent flier and thought the service on airlines was terrible: "Uncomfortable seats, a lack of entertainment, rude staff and bad food," wrote the businessman in a letter for the company's 30th anniversary. He didn't think twice. Branson proposed returning glamour to the skies.
The director rang Boeing asking to buy a secondhand 747, and then he took on engineers and experienced pilots. However, 95% of the cabin staff said they had never worked for another airline company. Flying would be a new experience. Yet, Virgin Airlines was the first company to put screens in the back of seats to watch films during the flight. They sold first-class seats at business class prices. The first Virgin Airlines flight –such as it was- took place in 1982 from the United Kingdom to the Falkland Islands.
Despite the enthusiasm and fun with which Branson launched the airline, the numbers did not add up. The businessman sold his record label in order to bail out the airline. And that was the best decision he could have made, especially with the later collapse of the music industry.
While Virgin Airlines took flight, American Airlines declared bankruptcy in 2011. In the summer of 2012, the US airline considered merging its business with five companies, one of which was Virgin.
The British company founded by Branson operates in 29 airports in Asia, Africa, Europe and America and has other subsidiaries. Last year it carried 5,939,000 passengers and made profits of 20 million euros.
Branson can be glad to have rented that plane so as not to be late for his date with that "beautiful woman" who today is his wife.
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| Richard Branson i Joan Templeman Foto: Virgin |