V-Flyer

The JV has been given final approval by US Dept of Transportation !

Objections came from Jet Blue who wanted VS/DL to have to give up some of their LHR slots and the DL Pilots union worried that route expansion (and so new pilot jobs appears to benefit the partners rather than Delta)


Including these reports (bitt nothing direct from VS ]


Head for Points

travel mole

fightgobal

Is the expectation with this that we will be able to earn VS miles on any KLM flight? Be great news if we can as have a family trip to South America with them next summer.

So that's it! Its been a long time coming but SRB has finally decided to let go of his controlling interest. I am left wondering just how long Virgin has left as an airline before Delta decide to scrap the brand. I can see this being carved up by the bigger partners and I am sure AF/KLM are playing the long game slots wise at LHR

Can only see this going badly for what remains of what was once a cracking airline.

wanderingmariner wrote:So that's it! Its been a long time coming but SRB has finally decided to let go of his controlling interest. I am left wondering just how long Virgin has left as an airline before Delta decide to scrap the brand. I can see this being carved up by the bigger partners and I am sure AF/KLM are playing the long game slots wise at LHR

Can only see this going badly for what remains of what was once a cracking airline.

Well... SRB still has 20%. So he has not exited entirely.

DL have made it quite clear so far that the boutique brand of VS is fitting in well and inline with their requirements and they do not wish to get rid of it. In fact, they themselves are trying to differentiate to a more boutique like offering.

I doubt we will see the VS brand chucked away any time soon. But I may end up eating my hat.

wanderingmariner wrote:I am left wondering just how long Virgin has left as an airline before Delta decide to scrap the brand.

But why would they do that? It's not as if Delta is a well known brand in the UK compared to Virgin.

Since when has anything large corporations do made any sense. If the bean counters in the States have to cut costs it will be down the commonality route, one set of branding etc etc. Why maintain different uniforms etc when they can just bin one brand.

SRB no longer has any control whatsoever and with all the financial issues going on at AF/KLM it could only be a matter of time before they have to back out of the JV and expect DL to take their share as I can't see it going back to VS.

I just have this horrible feeling that this is the beginning of the end of VS, I really hope I am wrong though.