Editing Virgin Atlantic (section)

===Origins===
[[File:Virgin Atlantic launch press conference.png|thumb|right|[[Alan Hellary]], [[Richard Branson]], and [[Randolph Fields]] launch Virgin Atlantic at the 1984 press conference]]
Virgin Atlantic has its origins in a joint endeavour by [[Randolph Fields]], an American-born lawyer, and [[Alan Hellary]], a former chief pilot for British private airline [[Laker Airways]]. Following the collapse of Laker Airways in 1982, Fields and Hellary decided to establish a new company, initially named ''British Atlantic Airways'', as a successor.<ref name="Virgin Birth"/> Reportedly, Fields had formed a concept for an airline that would operate between London and the [[Falkland Islands]] during June 1982, when the [[Falklands War]] had just finished.<ref>''West Sussex County Times''. 20 January 1984. p. 1.</ref> Fields sought out expertise in the field and contacted Hellary, who had already been considering options for establishing a regular commercial service to the Falklands. In turn, Hellary was in contact with several out-of-work colleagues from the collapse of Laker Airways; as such, the pair decided to refine their ambitions.{{Citation needed|date=May 2023}}

However, it was soon determined that the short runway at [[Port Stanley Airport]], and the time it would take to improve it, would render a route to the Falklands commercially unviable; thus, the idea of such a service was dropped. In its place, Hellary and Fields commenced efforts to secure a licence to operate a route between [[Gatwick Airport]], [[London]] and [[John F. Kennedy International Airport]], [[New York City]]. During May 1983, a three-day inquiry was conducted,<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Frivaldo |first=Juan |title=Contemporary Strategic Management Case Study |url=https://www.academia.edu/28897020 |journal=[[Institute of Commercial Management]]}}</ref> which chose to reject the application following objections from [[British Airways]], [[British Caledonian]] and [[Heathrow Airport Holdings|BAA]].

Hellary and Fields then applied for a licence between Gatwick and [[Newark Liberty International Airport|Newark]], [[New Jersey]], using a 380-seat [[McDonnell Douglas DC-10]].<ref name="Virgin Birth">{{cite journal |title=Aircraft Illustrated – Virgin Birth|journal=Aircraft Illustrated |publisher=Ian Allan |pages=48–51 |issn=0002-2675}}</ref> However, faced with the prospect of direct competition from rival operator [[People Express Airlines (1980s)|PEOPLExpress]], a post-[[deregulation]] "no frills" discount airline based at [[Newark Liberty International Airport|Newark Liberty]], they decided to secure more funding before proceeding. Fields met British entrepreneur [[Richard Branson]] at a party in London during which he proposed a business partnership. After protracted and testy negotiations, Fields agreed to a reduced stake of 25% in the airline (which was renamed ''Virgin Atlantic'') and became its first chairman. Following disagreements over operations, Fields agreed to be bought out for an initial sum of £1&nbsp;million with further payment on Virgin Atlantic's first dividend. As a result of a [[High Court of Justice|High Court]] action, this additional payment was received shortly before Fields died in 1997.{{Citation needed|date=May 2023}}