Nonetheless, the Seattle-based carrier did receive Virgin America’s remaining six A321neo orders.In 1933 the Blohm & Voss shipbuilding company in Hamburg decided to diversify into aircraft manufacture, believing that there would soon be a market for all-metal, long-range flying boats, especially with the German state airline Deutsche Luft Hansa. However, Alaska Airlines chose to cancel this in favor of the Boeing 737 MAX 9. At the time of the merger, the carrier was mainly flying Airbus A320s, although it also had smaller contingents of A319s and A321neos.Ī 30-aircraft A320neo order was also in place at the time of the merger. Photo: Tomás Del Coro via FlickrĪfter just under 11 years of operations, April 2018 saw Virgin America merge into Alaska Airlines. Virgin America operated various designs from the Airbus A320 family. Its hubs were in Los Angeles and San Francisco, and it added Dallas as a focus city. Known as Virgin America, this low-cost carrier commenced operations in August 2007. Virgin Americaįinally, the Virgin Group also used to have a presence in the US in the form of its own airline there. Safety checks grounded the airline in June 2012, and it ceased operations that September. This saw the carrier take on two new identities, namely Nigerian Eagle Airlines, and then Air Nigeria. Virgin eventually withdrew its stake in the airline between 20. Even quadjets were not off the cards, and it operated a pair of leased Virgin Atlantic Airbus A340s in 20. Over the course of its history, it flew a diverse fleet of regional, narrowbody, and widebody aircraft to a correspondingly wide range of destinations. Virgin Nigeria commenced operations the year after its foundation, in June 2005. Its purpose was effectively to replace former operator Nigeria Airways, and it was based out of Lagos Airport (LOS). Moving into Nigeria, the Virgin Group also founded Virgin Nigeria as a joint venture with investors in the country in 2004. Photo: Dean Morley via Flickr Virgin Nigeria Virgin Express operated an all-Boeing 737 fleet. This took place in 2007, and formed today’s Brussels Airlines. It stayed in operation under its own identity for the time being, before a merger was announced in 2006. However, after just eight years, Virgin sold the airline to its competitor SN Brussels in 2004. As such, it presently operates out of London Heathrow and Manchester instead. Despite having started off at Gatwick, it closed its base there in May last year. The ongoing global health crisis has also forced Virgin Atlantic to reshuffle its operating bases. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, the airline retired its last 747s last year. Its maiden voyage was a Boeing 747-operated journey from London Gatwick to Newark in June that year. The oldest of these is UK-based Virgin Atlantic, which dates back to 1984. Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying Virgin Atlanticĭespite having applied its name to many airlines over the years, just two are presently active. Virgin Atlantic is arguably the group’s best-known airline. But what about its many airlines? As we shall discover, it has applied its name to more carriers than you might remember. When it comes to transport, it has been a household name in the world of rail travel, with previous franchises on both sides of the Atlantic. Since its inception, it has made waves in various industries, including banking, commercial radio, and motorsport. The Virgin Group is a company that has its fingers in many pies.