Brand VirginVirgin Atlantic CEO Steve Ridgway

"Webe akoays had to set our stall out oery distinc-

tioely and it's been about ofering a very diferentproduct and a oery dffirent serttice.

There are few stronger brands

in world aviation than the Virginname.

Lo.ally Vlrgin Blue las g(,wn npidlvover the hst dccadc to become Austrilir'sntrmber 2 airlinc,built on th€ r.Nthfu], xnti estrblishmcnt ineverence ofSlrRichard Bnnson's globalVirgnr brand. Butin thc airlineworld those principlcswen6rsr carricd aloft by Virgin Atlantic. theorigin.J anri cstablishftent, DNld taking

Virgin Athntic, rvhich todal operatcs a

dailvRight to S]'dncr via Hong IGng, was

launched in 198.1.To set itselfdprrt fromthe estallished carricrs, in particulf honctown dval British Airwal's, ir made d great

play on tle strengths ofthc Virgin hrand,

at rhat timc mainlj.$ociared wit! Bnn-sons Virgii Music, ds the cheelq' ufstart.nd champlon oft]le frvelling public.

''l think thewhole lessencel ofVirginAdantic is that rve werent a historical carrica'dphined Virgifl Atlantic CEO Steve

Ridgivay in ,n intervicw with,4,n,z/tdlltartrr."We were nevcr a governmenrairlinc rhat becade prilatiscd and wrs

gificd dl the routes and ficilities that

Instead, sdd the Virgin Atlantic boss inSrdney recently, "Wc vc always hrd to set

our stall out very distinctively and itt been

about offering a verv diFcrcnr lrodu.t xnd

a vcry dillerent servlce. And thats whdt the

brand has cotue to stind for and I rlinkthis is as nnportant toda),as it wrs [in1984r.

Tod.x Virgin Adrnric is again ln rhe

process of rcinvigorlting aod reinf.rc-ingthe key elemcn$ ofits brand,rcccntLylaunching r new livcry rnd rolliig oura sassy relevisbn ddverrisiig cmpaignltd rlng gl.moous.dbin cres dnd pilots

rvith visudls thetivouldntbc out ofplacein rJancs Bond filmL opcning sequence,

buhvith ! tonguc-iDcheek, self detrccat-ing cnding-'Your airli'rc's cithcrgot it orithasni. Sct to the pop rockbrnd Muse\sorg Feeling Gootl, tbe ad \s dso a popularYouTube hit, ind has been sutported by

prinr, outdoor rnd online advcrtjsing.Siid P,ul DicLinson. director ofsdles

and marketing for Vjgin Atlantic,at therimc oftle clnprignk rcleasc lasr Ocrobcr:"People ilways tell us thrt rhere is *,nedring spe.ial end dilierent about travellingwirh Virgnr Atlantic and tlris campaignwas dcslgned to illdstrutc rh.tccnainmdgic ingrcdicntthnt sers us dpart fton the

'Ihe dming ofthe reb nding is.oincident wirh Virgin Blue CEOJohnBorglretti: o$'n rcbrandiB efl'ort, but it is

a campaign thrt the fellow Virgin brandedlirlinc, dcslit€ product difiirences and differenr markets, will have $'it hed closely.

.Where rhis ne$'idcntitr xnd liverycomcs frorr is thrt thc rvhoLc lndustry hiscome our ofa ven bruising tifte.We ndde

r lot ofchdnges to the.omprny and wcjustwantcd to re,llvl(bkrt how weie gonlg

to energe liom tlis andwhctherwe'restill goingto be d.ool brand for the worLd

rhit's now cmeBnrg," Ridgvxy extlxined.'l\od we hadnt changcd our Look and

fe€L 6r qdte a few rtirs not thrtlong as

comlared to ftad!but still in our worlditw$ selen oreishtyets old.And sndistans to fiagment and gct r bit me$y rndw€ w€re dso looking for sornc clliciency."

Vi€in Atlantic hm.hed its ncwbranding r.d livcry in June 2010, dnd ir isbeing progresslvely applicd to the air-linet 38 strong rirc fi neet,signage and

advcdisi,rg.The new h,ery inrroduccs a

newcusiom fontfor the Virgin Athndcn!rtewhich is feitured along tlic lengthof thc firsclage. Otler fertures inciudered winglers, a rcdcsign of the Unnm J!.kcarrying'Sculet Lady,and rhc Virgnr logoin purplc on the undersides to nde sslryidenri4 rhc aircraft from the ground.

"We.jusrwcnt right back to basics dnd

l@ked dt whar do wc nccd to do to redll)sharlcn up the whole thing, nakc it justlook fresher andjust more edgy in thisrvorld," sdid Ridgwry. 'And so rvene now

gonc global with rll our narkering communicrtions, lre vc irNcstcd in elly upgr.dingd 1ot of the look and iicl ofour imrses rndphotogrlphy. Out ofthar comes the lncrdfrlivery We knerv we had ! wholc ncct ofrir.raft comiig fiom 2011and also we hrda lot ofaircrrft due for repaints andwcvc

50 AN IARY/FFBRI]ARY 2011 AUSTRALIAN AVIATIOI{

t.. - i',;"4-*NEw cotouRsvns n Attantn **r,ro u ** i"r,y l'uiiJry n]|'l"r*oro Wo'nl,rufrt

"We hate a oery strong consumerfranchise and they like to see us moving

fortlard all the time and cloing things a bit diferently, remainingfresb."lcd dr.vi_r, with all thc novpiinr technolog), I thc metallic piinrs.rd so on, xnddr^t tcchnologv has.h.ngcd *cn sincc xrfist did it. h s'asjust r $o thrtwccouldniLc t|c iirc fr look€ven shary( Alicrill. rlryie rhe ftost futrstic billboird forr1,ur b,ud, rrcnt rhev?'

Thosc idvan.es n ircrxtt Lraint r.chnologv hxve th],ed. kcytrrr in rhe r€brlnd-inc. Tfs bccn qu,te r rzincrLhNri h.fpcncd ro iir.rift prints. We will probibl)scr nnre to 1l l,eari liti out olrlrse newprxrts rnd livcrics,\ihcrcrs ir thc old ddvs

rou wcrc lucky ifyou endcd up looklngnldrr rftcr aLrour four

''I thiik\rhcnlo( lok at prini,s,hcnrou lmk rt ndvc.tising, rvhcn lo! rvork onTV, lvhcn vou look rt ho\v the drcr,flsgoirg ro look.nd rirport sigDrec, it.s justibout keeping the brnnd on mc$igc."

Continued Ridgvar"ir\jusr one pirt ofItccting rhcad ofrhe gine.An,l {,c hlvci lcrv stro.g.onsume, lia,rchisc rnd rh$like t(, sec us moving fonyard ilL dre tnne.nd dolng drnrgs. bit dilTercndl,, remrin-iDg lrcsh rnd I thi.k it docs cxrctll diar.\Dd $e vc sot this grc.r brand rcbrild

'[xt kiDd ofputs us now up againstwhcrc

nc.hvils tlink wer been rvith thc cool

''Lots oliother people hrd co|icd ourJrvbus hcn and it $'as r klnd of la crse.fl lcan foN.rd, so frster And rvc lrd bus

trnd coach.oDp.nies copring it h Englandnr lvc droughr, tnle ft, nove on."

nrit need to mole on secms ro bc rctected in \rB\ cliorts to rcbnnd as rvell.

''It licls ro de thit it is kind ofsluck dndr.cds a kick np die a.sc.'designcr HiDs

HuLsbosch sdid ofd,c Virgi'r Blue b,dndin i ,cccnr irtcnicw Hulsbos.hi dcsignrgc.crlras lvorkcd \rith m4or Ausr lianconrprnics, in.ludins QDtrs, to d.velolbrard identities rnd losos, ind hrs bccrengrseil brJobn Borghcrti to iedcvclop drrVi.gin Blue br.nd.

'"Irev rre dfling, tlcy arc rnri esrablishmert, thcl rrc lirn and 1ouig. Nonc of t|ltlvill chinge, ' Hulsh,sch srid of the \riLcinbnnd in a recent inteni$q l{rn)thins,i{c

\ /hilc Lldsbosch has to iil r€sponstbilir,! for rederelopnrc the \rirgir Bluc br2nd,Virgin Atlinric h.s kcpt lis A$tnlirncousnr ir ;r.red of,ts own Lebrindi,rs

"He [Borshctri] kDorvs tliitlvc've bccnaround a long rimc nd rvc vc drvelrpcda.d clrrngcd our nnige drough nll rli.t

nc. So I ve slnred \rith Lim whcrc wc'regoine sith the knd olcha,rsc ind whrlvcrvrnt to do...I thnrkhc undesnnds.nd hegcts h, he understrnds the info.tance of

Cor nrcd ldd$ray ofhis AustnliancounterpdLt,"I think in some lvds he,1{runddstands t|e ncui.alilv ofrhc bfund Ithink thc great rhnrg abour Virgln Atlantic is dnr ahhough wc're i Brnish iiili're,weie kin.l oflikc not r B.itish airllrc lndrvci c ablc to anchor oursclvcs kind olmidArlanti. or nid Asir orwhrtever; rnd thrtsnes grert flexibiliry And thar manif€stsitsclfdrough in thc troduct as well."

Aswcll as drc Virgin b nd, rhe nvorirlincs share i conmon ker shdreholderni Ri.hrLd Brxnsoni Virgi,r Group,which|olds 51 pcr ccnt of\rirgi'r Adxntic and 25pcr ccnr ofVirgin Bl e.r\nd shilc \rlrgin

Blue.s alliancc focus oflrtc his bccn oD itsrrringcnicnts with Iiiih.d. Dcltr rnd.{i,Nc$,ZerhDd, \rirCin Adrnri. and Vi,

'tnrtllLre do hnrc a codcshrre rDd lrcquorr flrcrprrtnershif igrccncnt.

.\\rc\t cxtcnderl quirc a 1ot h dre hst

ffo vears our rcl.donship wnh [\ri'gnrBluel,'RidgNry said, noting drir in rhc

|rst cooprrrtn,n rvith \rngin Blue hrd bccDlinlted byVnqin BlLrei rcscnrrion syston.

"So r rh.t changes, thrtcdrxn,lv improvcs rnd rvc\,c *tendcd thc codeshrre,wc\,e donc rll thc frequcnr nrtr re.ipn)citl,tic ups w€ie rvolking v'ith dieh or rkind ofjoinr Virgh teminil in LA bccausewc all lirc]udins Virgin Amcricrl nr into

frctti nruch thc samc rcminrLs.'So fa. rhough Virgin r\d,ntic ard Virgin

Bluci codcshrring is hnircd ro \rirgin,qdantic .odeshrrine on ccftain yngnlBluc f,ights nrto Sydncv ro connec virhits SvdDcl-Hong Kong-Lo.don fl ighrs.Thc nvo Vngins do intcrline.nd rllfliehrston Svdncv rnd London vir l-os Angcleson r comnon ticket,butwidr r consider-rblc rrrnsit timc in LA.

Iiteresri ngl I dcspire dre similariiicsnr thr€e class lroducts bctwe€n Vi,qin]\tlutic ud VBt V Austrrlia. tudgNay dldnot sry ifthere we,c rny plaN lor the t\voto codesharc on Vlrgm -Atlanricls Sldncv

'hrt hNcomc ir innc, cspecirlly rsVirsin Atln.ricis Sydnc! Hons Kmesc.tor Muld sivc \r Ausftxlir rn cnnccinb thc Asii marker, but instead \rirgnrBluc has clerLlyftrcuscd on its iriingenentBith Etihad,i{hlch with its Abu Dhabihub givcs one stop ncccss ro muldple key

] AN U AR I/F E B R U A R I 2A 1 ] AU Sf R ALI Atl AVIA| I ON

C ass s-'at design was ad0pted byA|l New ZeaLand. (V rgin Atlantic)

Stlll, the three Virgin brdnded airline

sroups do talk regulart"'he ownership sttuctures arc verydif

ferenr, but ctearly ds long as rve're.onPly-ingwith any conpetlrion ruLes dbout rvhdt

$c crn and.anr talk abdLt h'c do t.Jk

togetherl,but [more] in tcrms of.onsumerpropositbns dd lvhat the bnnd mexns

md how ir'.s un.lerstood," Ridglvav said

"T1ey're good conversatioDs in terns ofwhar ideas ue thcrc, whlt rhings can we

ld,k dt, \rhat are the learnings, [but] rvc're

pLttry orcfuL not to cross any boundaries

rhrtwe re nor suppsed to,Nhich is finc.

We r in dllTerent mirkcts, bI lnd ]irge."Onc exrmple ofcoope tion Ridgrvry

could point to rv$ Viigil Atlantic s a$ist_

ance in helpingVirgin Blue dcvcloP the

product olfcring for V Australia.

"Ifrou lookat VAusrr^lia in terns ofhos it \rcnt to narkct with its products

and its !rcdu.t suite, theret lots ofcroso-vcrs therewirhVigin Athntic We vc had

lots ofcxperien.e and learnings in things

fike iDflight cntertninmcn! which is a cohplctc bloody mincield,and wcw*e ablc

to cope wirh that. They mrde then orvn

decisions, i! sds thcir decisior \vhether

to have fint cLass or not hrvc 6rt clasand the kind of ftll scrvice brsincss cLdss

lButl I think rou crn rbsolutcly see thc

comparisons there, but agtin it\ a separate

Onc arcawhere Vi€in Atl^ntic clnthelp Virgin Bluc is in securnrg the use o{thc Virgin name for VB\ international

serliccs. Part of thc derL thit sarv Singapore

Airlin€s buv lls 49 per ccnt strke i! VirginAtlmric ln X'Irr.h 2000 wrs a restri.tlonon any orhcr entity uslng tlre Vlrgin nxneon lnternrtion nights-

"1]1er h.ve it [thc Vngin nmc] in their

domcstic Licencc and thercfore theyic fiee

to use thar.lButl therc ieverwas r licence

{or intcrnatn,nil,rvhich is \rhl !hey\'e

gotVAusrmlia, and dtlmately rhatt the

shareholde6' de.ision. Itt not sonrething

dirccdy within my,emit ind rhar wlll bc

decided by the shdreholders."

While \risin AtlaDtic.nd V Australl^cant share the Virgin nnmc, thcy do share

similar three ch$ froducts,whlch Ridgwar

says is r kcy diferentlrtor between ' nes.

"Wc buy exa.tly tlrc sne phnes ds Qnras and evervbodl clse,wc c.n onLy go toAirbG rnd Boeing," Ridgvr) *id.'We flvthem in rnd out ofthe srmc pretg ghasthriryorts,in some crses,

^nd wc frytleh

urder the srme verystrict rules and regnLa

tn)ns. ll.nd yet if )ou go and tdk to teoplein rhe sffeet,we arc known for doing dlFcrenr things rnd doing diFcrcnt driDgs inside

our rLLLmiiium tubes.

"I rhink thrCs what I find exciting iboutbruds,about competition rnd comleting lthink thatl rhc bencfit consumcs get,thelget that.hoicc aDd they get th.t dilTer

orce. And bccrut wevc had to ouetcone

dre disidlantages ofhis(,ry. we've prob

FIGIIREHEAD A young Richard Branson at V rgin

Atlanlics 1984 launch. 1V rgin Atlantic)

$ly pushed thrt to more extremcs than

rnybody"Virgin AtlaDtic!, brund is knowD 6r its

innovation in inllightfroduct and thc parsergcr cxperience, even whcn produ.ts thar

the airline pionccred,fron its Uplcr ClNslle flar slccpeL serts ro prcmiun e.onomyrDd insert lideo in ccondmy,havc bccn

widelv adopted br mosi cvcry other long

.Wc have n lot 'nore

ideas up our slccvc

thrn we cin lroblblyever implement, rndI drnrk the key for us is tle wxv ]rc prt lrtogcther u'ith tlre peolLe. So it's diat chenistry ofour people [providins] lhe innightscnice and thatt nuch harder to coplt

Anyone could copy sern rnd stuf like thrt,but actually how 1ou put all thosc thnrgs

togethcr ud horv lou buiLdlour imrgclround it,it\ drat 6nal piece thrt does it. '

Having a coherent product sftxtegy

acros dillerentcabin classes is also imPor

tant, Ridgway exphired."I rhnn Virgin Atlanti. hrs becn

uniqueLygood at hrving a vcry high end

prcrniurn product, our hig klnd ol'haloproduct in Upper Cla$,which is very

upmarket and vcrv top end, and rve're rtthc s.'ne time havineglcat resonln.e inthe leisure Fdrkets and in the e.ooomy

narkets. So pcopLe seen to turn right dnd

lefton our planes very wcll ud it all sricks

togcther, its exrrcmcll cohereni how it .JL

joins up.vhereds r lot oftimes rnhcs a.e

lushing thcir lremiun products verv hard

rnd arc a little bitafologetic aboutwhdtgoes on ln tle back."

Clcarln whdr gocs on down thc back is

importrnt when nany ofVi.gnr Ad.ntic!ke), routcs are leisuc markeB

'A big chunl. ofour busincss nodel is

that we htve this big leis!re opcratbnin the UK. We're dre oumber onc leisure

opcrat,,r to placcs like Floridx and the Car

ibbein add L.s Vegrs.'flrat's a real succcs

rnd ir's stillone bnnd, still ope ting under

IANI]ARY/FEBRI]ARY 201 1 AIJSTRALIAN AVIATION

onc bnnd rnd one pbduct ite.'IDtcrcstinqlt:, givo, thc importturcc of

UtF. Cli$ ro lhc Virgln Ad.nti. brMd,rhc iirliies next xirc.rft nrvillt|kc dcliv'cry ol- drc irsr ot 10 A330 300s on ordea\riih lirst dclivdies nr 2011 rvo.l f-c|hre

''\{re rv*rt to lit $c ncxtgcncntion Up

Lrcr Cliss sci$ Dd d t wont lt rvrihblcurtil the cnd ofncxt ycri \4/c only Dccd

ir for Hc.drrow so B.'ll put thosc ri(rdftinb d lcisurc connguradon rnd drcn,ildc.cssrr!]it then h{nh Upp{ Cl$sl hte.Bnt thq llgo on Cinvi.t.fd Nlinchcsrcrii i high dcDsilv lcisurc configu tion.'

nrose 4330 300 drLnerics snc th€riLline flexibilitr in terms ofrepLcing cxist-inq ri,oali in its flcct, ortroyidnrg c.ticiqr;r growth, dependtuc on horv e.ononi.

''EsonirlLl dryic drcre p.rtLr f(trruvth rnLlprrtll for rcphcem€. t, but wc

-.ur t,obrbly nnD rbc diiliccording ro ho$''\c rc sccing rhc rccovcrr goiig. -^Dd wc r.rtiing to use drenr bodr i;r leinrc i. r ftyo:irs coodgur.rion ind rhcn prob.b| rll,c cnd ol20l1 sti.t dclnc, ins rl,on irnl:J.idyow h our ronnrl conlisuritio. {irh-it nerv Uppcr Class.'

Olcu.rcnt conditbns RidslvN sxid rhctrldn{ has in]Po'cd

lhings hivc rurncd.round and pl.kcdr Jrinxticilli \ /e Drde x lot.f.hrnges:.: yc.r []i 20091 in rc$onsc ro drcrrlct. \Ve reduced our lrequencies, rve

c ott sonc narkcts.Wc cvcn rookso'nc: :rics olt olthe srsten i;r r shile dd

oie allbrck rour And l think taking.r.ifici$ ourwis drc riglrr rhing ro do."\iid expcricr.nu "bfut.l .onditnnis ni,!pc (rhc riLllnc mrdc i prcr,u ofcrar

- lo\s ofl;132m,on revenues rlorvn near11

:r pcr ccnr roa2..+bD tirr irs 2009 10

rncirlyerr),thc oudooh is good.\\t harc sccn r phcnonrcnrl bouncc,,c rc!l\'got to go br.L rnd look.t

. l00ri nunbcrs to onprrc tl1em. \(reic.. oftlosc numbc,s ir tcrms otou..ues ind oulields in wh.t is.lier.lL

.,,f l businc$. So it rl,c N)n,crrxa de.:i {Lsly oprnnlsric."'\'trhin its ncnvork, Rnlsvrv srnl rh€

ris Svdncv llights havc bccn pcrtbm':,rlL.Irr.e rrc r the.onreDrl nunrbcr of B.Lis

:-rrmgoor ofAuslralia dDd i'no Eurofc,ruh,ly into London. Butrve\,c got.r,lnr ivc pcr ccnr oldrc crtacl$:r mrrhet rnd rvc r got rbout scren

:ir nr.rkct drirc. A.d itcxictl) fis:i'nluli olprovnling drir high quilirv

:. Jiih sdricc,th.fs prett) mu.h ourr h.Wc want to snv our ncnrork

.:.rs ot cholcc oldcstin.doDs iDd d,c- :,,fdrrr in the husbess ftxrk€ts is to-::rr diilr sci!'icc."

OdrcrAustralian torts.o!ld bc on thcagcnd. rvhcD drc.irlinc bcglns to trkcdeli\rr] oldrc 15 Bocing 787 9s it his onorder,.lthough Ridgwrvdldnr.ommcntdirc.dt on rctorts dDt Perth.nd NlclbouLnc,rrn on his rirhcls Lrrlr

.Obvn)usll dr 7ti7s vcn ltusrrrringbcc.usc,t s bccn d.llcd it lerst threc1c.rs row rDd lv. bclicvc it \rill bc nr.ircLxii d\xt *ill rvorkcrfcmcry wcllinour ncnvork.And it docs olIer rhe chin..to borh o|cn ncs, dcstinr )ns clTcctivch

rnd,llncccssrn, to cxtcnd ticqucncics. Butunli,rtunrtclr duts kinrl oftut bick Do\r

The orher ricce of d1c Virsin Atlintic nect przzlc is its oLddfor sn Ai,busA380s,rnd if lnr ai.linew,ss.ins to nkcadvanugc oldrc A380ls 11oor spacc tbrproduct i.novrio., i vould hivc ro be

''Ycs, it\olutcln .nd I drn,klvhrt wc\'tcomc upwitlr rvis rcallvgood, obsdkdllldgvN,but, No, no hints,ci.l gnc.wNdrc tmdc scc.ctslBut xt thc cn.l ofthcdav rhcrc\ rlso rn clcmcnr olcconodrics\vlrere xir.Lrft irc.bour mo\ing p.otlc...,{, I think that \rhrt \!r'vc.ilwirs tridcdoursclves on is rbout bcing srrrt,.Lbout

ho$,vou ma{imisc thc 'cvcnuc

rakc or dr.iir.rnft bnt,rr nic si,nc rnnci rnrkinsit rrie expctrcn< to fl1 or.'

Irdc.d, Virgin AdMd( hrs eot its oNrrirctuii se.t ilesign contanl Wc\,c gor a

plcrq big dcsisn .lcfdnncnr d r docs.lLour s iT, b(,th dr snnnd dorloprncnr.ndir rhc.ir And Jl thrt sn,fi\ vcr {rtnlc.It's tlosn to colouLs rnrl trcrtmcnts udIighri'r slstcms, thc wholc Qbin rmbicDcc.

"tt rhvNs inuzes .rc thdr c\u rodi\ rvc

.h so on t\vo di*ircnr iir.nti rnd sonctimes drcv\c bo$ t)lmd rov rnd onc! likcstctfinq inh drc'70s dd thc othcri likcstef|ing into 2010.'thrtt \yhere Be woulllrhvrl s try ird bc our rhcre and havmg fun.Its hrrd bc.iusc it's clcirlr .o.str.ined blrvhrt you can do rnd rvhrt the mrnufrcnr-c$ irc co.)lintxbl. doing,buhvc dclinitclvpusrr dk lbdn{]4ricsl... r mc.n, nood]i{lrtnrgvq,ld noi crisr on iir. iiwlthout\rirsin AtlDic. Bcfdc irwisjusr rhrowttrc $virch,rvasnt ir? So rvc'vc donc lms o1:

Less subtlc is thc airll.c\ sdll mrjorshrLcnoldcr rnd ptcsidcnt, Sir RlchrrdB,Nnson. Branson lcales the d.y to dNrunning ofdre rirhe t(, Ridsrvrv rnrl hisrc.ni, brt is still dre rirlines.ot v, sec,et

"Wc still rnl hn! onr nr thc hunch drs.nd holid.rls.dd he! srcnt in drc toliticrlsprts rnd the politicrl brttles, wh ich sccmto dominarc this n,dusffr! rnd duis r'hcrc

Alio niorc th.n. qurter ofr ccntuxllrinso. redrins thc Esuchcad ft. rndpc60nii.rtun oafic \'i, gin Atlantic

''I drink dre grcrt rhins is we vc sot rbnnd wlrh p.rsonrLir! rnd wc\.c sot rgur rvho set it uf with perRnulin!Nnddnt rloes inherendv mrkc lt osicr Andthrhvrs onc ! cinnr "clulln in r wdn forthc n.1r nlc.itl',or lhc.lungc ii idcndn!iust t, bc rc'r strong iid trord olVirgiiAdnnric, bc.iusc it crn u]riss nim Flcisvcrv much frrt otit, idcnii6cd s'it| it, butits .ot criticalh' dcpcndcnr on hnn."

Ir is i stong posirion 1or the br.nd to br

SYDNEY SERVICE Vrgn Atanlic has been op".raling t0 SydnE since December 2004 t s ihe 0ryEu r0pea n a rline 0ther tha n Br trs h Air\vays t0 lly io Austra a in ils 0wn righl. (S".th law0rski)

BRAND IVAN Pad0fVrgin Allantics managemeni

team since 1994. Siev-o R dgway has been the

an nes CtO since 2001 Ne eads an at ne lhat0perates 38a rcraitand empoys ar0und 9000 stafl0ns n Atlant c)

I

]ANUARY/FEBRL]ARY ,)01

L AUSTRAIIAN AVIATION 53