[textarea]US advertising fine for Virgin

Virgin Atlantic has been fined $50,000 by the US Department of Transportation (DoT) over problems with its online price advertising. The US regulator said Virgin displayed air fares without including government taxes and fees; to see taxes and fees, consumers had to scroll down to the bottom of the page to read the fine print. This violated US rules requiring any advertising that includes a price to state the full price to be paid by the consumer, including all carrier-imposed surcharges.

US transportation secretary Ray LaHood said: ‘When passengers buy an airline ticket, they have a right to know the full price they will have to pay. We expect airlines to treat their passengers fairly and will take enforcement action when our price advertising rules are violated.’

Source[/textarea]
 
I would have thought $50,000 will be nothing to Virgin. If they had been caught over here on this side of the Atlantic i'm sure the fine would have been more like £200,000!
 
tomleeds said:
I would have thought $50,000 will be nothing to Virgin. If they had been caught over here on this side of the Atlantic i'm sure the fine would have been more like £200,000!


$50,000 = £31,881. Nothing when you look at it for an airline like virgin really, is it?
 
[textarea]Virgin still looking for BMI merger deal

Virgin Atlantic has said it is still looking at a potential merger with BMI that would combine the two operations, Bloomberg reports. The airline's Chief Executive Officer Steve Ridgway said: ‘BMI is very much up for sale and we are part of that process. We would like to see if there is a way of putting these two businesses together.’

A deal would meld Virgin's long-haul operations with a short and mid-haul network that makes BMI the second-biggest airline at Heathrow after BA. Mr Ridgway added: 'We are interested in the future of BMI. We are complementary businesses. Now, whether that could be done or whether that works for our shareholders, that's what we need to see. Nothing is decided at the moment.’

Source[/textarea]
 
[textarea]Virgin make staff pay for their own employment checks

Virgin Atlantic is forcing new staff to pay for their own criminal record checks, the BBC reports. New staff at the airline's recently opened call centre in Swansea are asked to pay £25 for the background check.

Department of Transport rules require criminal checks for airside staff, but not for other airline employees. Virgin Atlantic employs around 8,500 people worldwide and recruits hundreds of staff in the UK each year. The issue was highlighted after a recent graduate contacted BBC Radio 4's Money Box programme. Ryanair charges cabin crew for their uniform and training, and does not guarantee them a job.

Source[/textarea]
 
[textarea]Virgin Atlantic looks to Aus and US instead of UK

Virgin Atlantic is looking to expand its services to Australia and the US instead of the UK after Sir Richard Branson told the Sunday Telegraph that Virgin has effectively grounded to a halt in Britain.

Mr Branson commented on Heathrow Airport’s lack of effort to expand, saying the airline has not been able to expand and offer and new routes out of Heathrow in the past five years.

“This will cost the UK thousands in jobs,” Mr Branson stated as he offer Virgin would be willing to invest up to five billion pounds in expanding Heathrow Airport’s operations if the government reversed its position on the upcoming review of the aviation policy.

"I think the Heathrow decision was purely political and incredibly damaging," the president of Virgin Atlantic Sir Richard Branson said. "If there is one thing that is holding the country back it was the decision by all three parties to do the cowardly thing and that was to say they wouldn't allow a third runway.”

Having a review without including Heathrow, as the Government intends, "makes no sense whatsoever," Mr Branson continued, while BAA, the owner of Heathrow, is considering legal action against the review because of its limitation.[/textarea]

http://www.etravelblackboard.us/article ... tead-of-uk

Why are leading politicians - of all the main parties it seems - so dead set against the advice of big business in this country and so determined to decimate the UK aviation industry?

I find it incredible that the Conservatives, traditionally the party of big business, should behave in this way.

Punitive APD rates, no expansion of the country's leading airport, a make-it-up-as-you-go-along 'aviation policy'. It's not a policy really - just a mass of random, disconnected, ineffectual thoughts.

The industry in our competitors' countries are rubbing their hands with glee.
 
[textarea]New Virgin upper class ‘dream suite’ to debut this month

Virgin Atlantic will reveal its new 'Upper Class Dream Suite' business class seats next week, ahead of the cabin's first flight on the daily Heathrow - New York (VS003/004) service from April 21, Australian Business Traveller reports. April 21 will see the debut of Virgin Atlantic's newest Airbus A330.

The new plane will be Virgin's first A330 fitted with business class, and will sport 33 seats over nine rows (in a mostly 1-2-1 layout) in the same space where the current A330s have 59 premium economy seats (arranged 2-3-2). What Virgin promises to be a ‘cutting-edge Upper Class cabin’ will also include an updated bar design located by the entrance, a new in-flight entertainment system plus a refreshed ‘fine dining’ menu, with an 'express supper menus' for lighter meals and quicker service.

The new Upper Class will be rolled out through the rest of the Virgin Atlantic fleet over the next 3 years, including the its new Boeing 787 Dreamliners and Airbus A380-800s.[/textarea]

For more information on this airport news story visit: http://www.ausbt.com.au/virgin-atlantic ... n-april-21
 
Virgin Atlantic are obsessed with London Heathrow as British Airways. London Gatwick might be full but what's wrong with using airports like Manchester and Birmingham?
 
Birmingham a no go im told and no plans to expand at Manchester until delivery of 787's and A380's im told once the 380 arrives they will be moving some of the 747s so more than likely they will base another at MAN

[ Post made via Android ]
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Business passengers (big payers) are predominately in the South East hence the reluctance of BA/Virgin to move into the regions for long haul.
 
[textarea]Faulty alarm caused Virgin Gatwick emergency

The emergency landing by a Virgin Atlantic plane at Gatwick was caused by a technical fault with the aircraft alarm's system, the airline has said. More than 300 people had to exit the Airbus A330 using emergency chutes last Monday, as emergency teams stood by, with fifteen needing hospital treatment.

An airline investigation said the emergency landing was caused by ‘alarms being triggered in flight’. Smoke was reported in the cabin at the time but Virgin said there was no smoke and a technical fault was to blame. The Air Accidents Investigation Branch is still looking at the incident and will publish a report.

For more information on this airport news story visit: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-17788627[/textarea]
 
And if anyone saw Jeremey Clarksons sun page on Saturday, you'd sure would have had a giggle. "the high vis warriors shut the airport". He also pointed out that the 15 would sue for injurys, so i'll keep a watch out for that. You would hope they'd loose and foot the bill too.
 
Virgin launches Branson-shaped ice cube


richard-cube_2208383b.jpg


richard-cube3_2208382b.jpg


The “Little Richard” will be cooling the drinks of Upper Class fliers on selected flights in May, to celebrate the launch of the airline’s new in-flight bar.
The ice cubes have been built to scale, using the exact measurements of Sir Richard’s actual head, and boast an impressive attention to detail – even the Virgin boss’s trademark goatee is distinguishable.

The airline claims a team of four designers took six weeks to create them, using “detailed photographic techniques and laser scanning technology”.
A spokesman for Virgin said the creation meant “all passengers will be able to enjoy some chill out time with Mr Branson”. He added that the bar would feature additional innovations, including "enhanced mood lighting".
Sir Richard is renowned for his publicity stunts, and has recently appeared in a series of television advertisements with athletics star Usain Bolt.


Previous campaigns have seen him dress up as a bride, a Malay warrior, a Middle Eastern sheikh, and Elvis Presley. He also famously winded himself when an abseiling stunt from the top of the Palms Hotel Casino in Las Vegas went awry.
And when Virgin Atlantic's in-flight meals were criticised by one passenger, in a hilarious email sent to Sir Richard, the airline offered him a job as a food taster.

Source
 
They won't need as much ice in future on these flights then.

Who would want Sir RB staring at them from out of good liquor?
 
[textarea]Branson pledges 'massive expansion' if Heathrow constraints lifted

Sir Richard Branson has promised "massive expansion" by Virgin Atlantic if the government performs a U-turn and Heathrow gets a third runway.

The Virgin Atlantic president said lack of slots at Heathrow was holding the airline back. Branson said: "We are so constrained at Heathrow. There are so many routes we would like to fly

Read more: http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/ ... witterfeed[/textarea]

The article goes on to say that Virgin Atlantic is looking at launching some "network connections" and there has been talk of new regional routes flying to Heathrow with Edinburgh and Aberdeen mentioned.
 
[textarea]BRANSON: UK IS AT RISK OF JOINING THE THIRD WORLD

BRITAIN will fall behind the rest of the world unless a “bold, brave” stance on airline growth is adopted by the government, Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson warned yesterday.

Speaking at the launch of new Virgin Atlantic routes to Cancun and Moscow, Branson hit out at leaders who stand in the way of expansion at close-to-capacity Heathrow and impose steep taxes on air travel.

“What we ought to be talking about is wholesale expansion to Asia, to Africa, to South America, and options on routes that are not currently serviced,” he told reporters.

“But it’s impossible, and it’s been impossible for the last 15 years. Britain came to a full stop 15 years ago.”

“Millions of travellers across the world are going to other European cities rather than coming to the UK and that affects every single aspect of the UK. In time it will turn into a third world country – it’s that serious.”

Full Story: http://www.cityam.com/latest-news/brans ... hird-world[/textarea]
 
[textarea]Branson squares up to Walsh in European battle

Virgin Atlantic poised to appeal the EU decision to allow IAG's purchase of Bmi to pass so easily

Sir Richard Branson and Willie Walsh are set to renew hostilities as Virgin Atlantic launches a legal challenge to the EU decision to wave through International Airlines Group's acquisition of Bmi.

The British Airways owner bought Bmi from Lufthansa for a knock-down £90m back in April, but Virgin will submit a formal appeal to European authorities within the next fortnight or three weeks.

Read more: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/busin ... 63997.html[/textarea]
 
Virgin Atlantic seem to have moved an Airbus A340 600 G-VMEG to Glasgow to operate the Orlando VS71/72 route recently while using one of their new Airbus A330's on the LHR to Delhi route. Does anyone know if they've disposed of any of their older B747 400's recently or are they just shuffling things around for the summer schedules?
 

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