Of all the entrepreneurs that have shaped the British economical landscape over the last thirty years, Richard Branson surely takes the biscuit with his pioneering Virgin Group which has earned him an OBE and the title of ‘Sir’ Richard Branson. Whilst the Virgin Group has a wide array of business investments under its belt, the most prolific of these is undoubtedly the aeronautical venture of the group: Virgin Atlantic Airways Limited.

The airline is a publicly traded company and as such, it is owned by two shareholders; Singapore Airlines who own 49% of shares and the Virgin Group who own the controlling stake of the company’s shares, possessing 51% of them. The company has its headquarters in Crawley, a town in the English county of West Sussex which is conveniently situated in close proximity to Gatwick Airport. As well as the headquarters next to Gatwick, Virgin also operates flights from London Heathrow Airport, located to the Southwest of England’s capital city.

Virgin Atlantic operates flights from the United Kingdom to destinations all around the world, including Africa, the Middle East, Australia, Asia, the Caribbean, and North America.These long-haul international flights are made possible by the airline’s ownership of an impressive fleet. The fleet consist mainly of wide-bodied aircraft such as larger bodied Boeing models and Airbus carrier planes. Whilst Virgin provides many long-haul flights, it operates absolutely no short-haul flights whatsoever; a quality which is very nearly unique amongst the world’s major airlines. Incidentally, it should be noted that the shortest route that the airline operates is from London to Accra; the capital city of Ghana.

During 2010, the airline carried a total of over five million passengers. Virgin Atlantic is therefore the eighth largest airline in the United Kingdom in regards to the amount of passengers that flew with the airline.

As with all aspects of the Virgin Group, the airline branch has a distinctive branding that is in keeping with the Virgin look. As of 2006, all aircraft used by the airline were painted white with a red tailfin depicting the company’s name. The livery of all aircraft is also a striking blend of silver and red. The nose of each plane is decorated with a pinup girl holding the national flag of Great Britain: the Union Jack. These girls where designed by the English artist Ken White and have frequently featured in the brand’s advertising campaigns.