Virgin Atlantic (VS/VIR)

Titlu:Virgin Atlantic etaleaza un nou livery
Data:25.07.2010
Autor: airbuzz.ro
Sursa: airbuzz.ro

Citat :

Compania aeriana britanica detinuta de Richard Branson, Virgin Atlantic etaleaza o noua schema de culori(livery) pe aeronavele sale.

Citeşte mai mult: http://www.airbuzz.ro/#ixzz0ujBkXAfW

Titlu: Branson Looks To Sell Virgin Atlantic Part Stake
Sursa: http://news.airwise.com/story/view/1295359157.html
Autor: Airwise
Data: 18.01.2011

Citat :

Sir Richard Branson is looking to sell part of his controlling stake in Virgin Atlantic, according to a report in The Financial Times.

The paper reports that the decision follows Virgin hiring Deutsche Bank last year to review the UK-based airline's options after regulators allowed British Airways and American Airlines to run their transatlantic businesses jointly. Branson had strongly opposed the tie-up.

Branson is quoted as saying: "We realised for the long-term stability of Virgin Atlantic we needed to look at an alliance partner, and whether it is purely an alliance or more than an alliance we're completely undecided. My preference would be to keep control of the airline."

"Since the competition authorities in their wisdom have allowed these mega alliances, in order to protect Virgin Atlantic long-term…we're now going to make sure we have the firepower and strength to survive the next 50 years."

Branson currently has a 51 percent stake in the carrier with the remaining 49 percent being held by Singapore Airlines.

The US carried Delta Air Lines has been suggested as one possible buyer but Branson said there were a number of interested parties. He said: "We'll see how discussions go."

Sir Richard Branson was speaking in Toulouse where Virgin America had announced 60 firm orders for Airbus A320 jets.

Etihad se arata interesat de Virgin Atlantic

latribune.fr

Titlu: Air France si Delta, interesate de preluarea participatiei majoritare la Virgin Atlantic
Sursa: dailybusiness
Autor: ***
Data: 21.02.2011

Citat :

Operatorii aerieni Air France-KLM si Delta sunt interesati de preluarea a 51% din participatia Virgin Atlantic, detinuta de Sir Richard Branson, relateaza The Telegraph.
Cele doua companii, membre in alianta SkyTeam, au apelat la grupul financiar Goldman Sachs pentru consiliere in ceea ce priveste posibila tranzactie.

Potrivit analistilor, pachetul de actiuni detinut de Sir Richard Branson valoreaza intre 812 milioane de dolari si 1,6 miliarde de dolari. Spre deosebire de potentialii cumparatori, actionarul majoritar al Virgin Atlantic a apelat la serviciile de consultanta ale Deutsche Bank.

Celalalt actionar al Virgin Atlantic este compania Singapore Airlines, care detine 49% din actiuni.

Fondatorul grupului Virgin a fost nevoit sa revizuiasca pozitia liniei aeriene proprii din momentul in care operatorii aerieni British Airways si Iberia au fuzionat si au incheiat un pact transatlantic cu America Airlines, in urma caruia a rezultat International Airlines Group.

Miscarea celor de la British, Iberia si America Airlines a avut loc in contextul in care tot mai multe companii aeriene incearca sa-si consolideze pozitia si sa incheie diverse parteneriate pentru a depasi scaderea veniturilor si efectele unor factori precum scumpirea combustibililor.

Insa Virgin Atlantic nu a reusit sa se integreze in niciuna dintre marile aliante incheiate pana acum.

Astfel, revizuirea pozitiei Virgin Atlantic prevede totodata si inscrierea intr-o alianta, cat si vanzarea participatiei Singapore, sau cel putin a unei parti din aceasta, catre o terta parte.

O alta companie interesata de actiunile lui Sir Branson este Etihad Airways din Emiratele Arabe Unite, care primeste consultanta din partea Merril Lynch, potrivit sursei mentionate.

Titlu: Virgin Atlantic 'May Need To Merge To Survive'
Sursa: http://news.airwise.com/story/view/1301576760.html
Autor: Reuters
Data: 31.03.2011

Citat :

Virgin Atlantic may need to merge with a rival or join an airline alliance to survive in the increasingly competitive world of aviation, which has been changed by the advent of cross-border super carriers.

After falling behind in European consolidation following Air France's merger with Dutch-based KLM, Lufthansa's recent tie-ups and last year's BA-Iberia merger, Virgin needs a partner or else could be left behind.

The airline, formed in 1984 by British billionaire Richard Branson, who still owns a 51 percent stake through his Virgin Group, has attracted admiring glances from a number of rivals.

Singapore Airlines is looking to sell its 49 percent stake in Virgin, which has hired Deutsche Bank to conduct a strategic review that could lead to a whole or partial sale or to Virgin joining an airline alliance.

Here are some scenarios for how events could unfold:

TAKEOVER

Virgin could face a takeover approach, with industry analysts seeing a bid as most likely to come from a combination of Air France-KLM -- Europe's largest airline by revenue -- and US carrier Delta Air Lines, which has been working with Goldman Sachs to identify possible targets for several months.

Air France-KLM and Delta would be keen to get hold of Virgin's 288 takeoff and landing slots at London's Heathrow airport -- 3 percent of the airport's total -- to help them add more services to the United States and Asia from Europe's busiest hub.

Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways has also expressed interest, though European Union (EU) rules state the region's carriers must be under European control, meaning any move for Virgin would have to involve an EU airline.

JOIN AN ALLIANCE

Virgin, the second-largest long-haul carrier at Heathrow, could also join a global alliance, a deal which would be attractive to Branson because it wouldn't end his control. It has a choice of the three: SkyTeam, Star Alliance and oneworld.

Air France and Delta's SkyTeam may be Virgin's most likely alliance as it does not have a UK partner and holds just 5 percent of the slots at Heathrow, compared with oneworld's 47 percent and Star Alliance's 25 percent.

Virgin, which has no agreements in place with oneworld or SkyTeam members, already has codeshare agreements with Star Alliance members, including Air China, bmi and US Airways. Star also includes Air New Zealand, Virgin's partner on trans-Tasman routes, and Singapore Airlines, its part owner.

Oneworld, which already has IAG-owned British Airways as a member, looks to be the least likely destination.

STAKE SALE

Virgin Group and Singapore are willing to sell at least part of their stakes, though Branson wants to retain an interest.

However, Singapore is keen to sell the entire stake it bought in 1999 for around GBP£600 million (USD$965.8 million), according to an aviation banker who wished to remain nameless.

"There's a book on it (Virgin Atlantic)... all (the stake) is worth is what they can sell it for because it's not making them any money," said the banker.

Ireland's Ryanair and Dubai's Emirates are also keen on buying a stake, according to UK press reports.

REVISIT LUFTHANSA DEAL

Another option for Virgin would be for it to get Lufthansa back to the table. Talks between the pair over the potential merger of Virgin with UK carrier bmi failed in 2009 with bmi being taken over by Lufthansa without Virgin's involvement.

A merger would have helped Virgin better compete with its main rival BA, allowing it to use bmi's short-haul network and slots at Heathrow to further international expansion.

Titlu: Singapore Air Open To Offers For Virgin Stake
Sursa: http://news.airwise.com/story/view/1307363167.html
Autor: Reuters
Data: 06.06.2011

Citat :

Singapore Airlines said on Monday it is open to any offers for its 49 percent stake in Virgin Atlantic, but would not comment if any bidders have approached the airline.

"I think we have been quite open. We have stated that we are open if somebody is interested in the 49 percent stake in Virgin," said Goh Choon Phong. chief executive of Singapore Airlines (SIA). "They can make an offer and we will evaluate it and we will make decision based on that."

Singapore Airlines bought a 49 percent of Virgin Atlantic for GBP£600.25 million (USD$990 million) in 1999.

Shukor Yusof, a Singapore-based airline analyst, said buyers might find Virgin Atlantic's geographical footprint challenging because most of its routes are trans-Atlantic while most of the industry's growth is now coming from Asia.

SIA's Goh also said the company is also not opposed to mergers and acquisition possibilities and would look at future opportunities.

Virgin Atlantic's founder, Richard Branson, has reportedly said that his airline needed a partner to remain competitive.

Virgin Atlantic may need to merge with a rival or join an airline alliance to survive the competition created by the advent of cross-border super carriers.

un filmulet fain despre rebranding-ul virgin.

http://www.marketingmagazine.co.uk/news/1019672/Behind-Rebrand-Virgin-Atlantic/

Delta Airlines ar fi interesata sa cumpere cele 49% din Virgin Atlantic detinute de Singapore Airlines. Daca afacerea s-ar incheia, celelalte 51% detinute de Richard Branson ar putea fi preluate de Air France-KLM.

Sursa info

Pana la urma Delta preia cele 49% din Virgin Atlantic (pana acum detinute de Singapore Airlines) pentru 360 miloane de dolari. Un eventual interes al AF-KLM in restul de actiuni nu este precizat in comunicate.

Mai multe info :

http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/us/en/travel-information/customer-service/latest-news/strategic-alliance-with-delta-airlines.html

http://www.air-journal.fr/2012-12-12-delta-air-lines-rachete-49-de-virgin-atlantic-562615.html

kampfmaschine a scris:

Pana la urma Delta preia cele 49% din Virgin Atlantic (pana acum detinute de Singapore Airlines) pentru 360 miloane de dolari. Un eventual interes al AF-KLM in restul de actiuni nu este precizat in comunicate.

Mai multe info :

http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/us/en/travel-information/customer-service/latest-news/strategic-alliance-with-delta-airlines.html

http://www.air-journal.fr/2012-12-12-delta-air-lines-rachete-49-de-virgin-atlantic-562615.html

Branson ar putea vinde ceva dar nu cred ca ar face un exit total. Cel mai productiv model il are in clipa de fata Stelios care primeste redevente de la Easy Jet pt folosirea brandului.