Editing Virgin Atlantic (section)

==Livery==
Virgin Atlantic's first aircraft were painted with a [[Aircraft livery#Eurowhite|"Eurowhite"]] design with a red stripe through the centre of the main deck windows. The engines were metallic silver and the tail red with the logo in white. In the 1990s, the refreshed design was introduced, removing the centre red stripe through the windows, engines were painted red, the Virgin Atlantic titles in grey were added along the main fuselage, and the 'Flying Lady' was introduced to the nose area.{{Citation needed|date=May 2023}}

In October 2006, with the delivery of G-VRED, Virgin Atlantic introduced a new design, with the fuselage painted in metallic silver and a revised tail fin, with red and purple features and the logo. Near the nose of each aircraft is a [[pin-up girl]], the "Scarlet Lady", carrying a Union flag, which was designed by British artist Ken White, who modelled the motif on the World War II pin-ups of [[Alberto Vargas]] – hence the naming one of the fleet ''Varga Girl'' (in this case, an A340-600 registered G-VGAS).<ref name="Virgin Atlantic press information"/>

Each aircraft has a name, usually feminine, such as ''Ladybird'', ''Island Lady'', and ''Ruby Tuesday'', but some are linked to registrations (e.g. G-VFIZ became ''Bubbles''). A couple are commemorative names (e.g. G-VEIL—''Queen of the Skies''—which was named by [[Elizabeth II|Queen Elizabeth II]] on 7 April 2004, marking the centenary of the [[Entente Cordiale]]; this frame exited the fleet in April 2016. In January 2023, a new airframe — an Airbus A330-900 registered G-VEII — was christened ''Queen of the Skies'' in honor of the late monarch).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Virgin Atlantic reveals Queen of the Skies aircraft in honour of Elizabeth II {{!}} Virgin |url=https://virgin.com/about-virgin/latest/virgin-atlantic-reveals-queen-of-the-skies-aircraft-in-honour-of-elizabeth |access-date=2023-07-20 |website=Virgin.com |language=en}}</ref> An exception is ''Spirit of Sir Freddie''. An early Boeing 747, it was named in honour of [[Freddie Laker]] of Laker Airways, who helped Virgin Atlantic following the demise of his own airline. G-VFAB—''Lady Penelope''—gained a special livery to celebrate Virgin Atlantic's 21st birthday. G-VFAB, ''Lady Penelope'', exited the fleet in September 2015 after 21 years of service and was subsequently parted out.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Dinsdale|first1=James|title=Lady Penelope Arrives in Goodyear, Leaves a Legacy Behind|url=http://airlinegeeks.com/2015/09/28/exclusive-lady-penelope-rests-for-the-final-time/|access-date=11 October 2015|work=Airline Geeks|date=28 September 2015}}</ref> In 2006, the airline ran an eBay auction to name an Airbus A340-600, registered G-VYOU. The winner named it ''Emmeline Heaney'' after his newborn daughter, and the name adorned the aircraft for the remainder of its operating service until the aircraft was retired in October 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.virginatlantic.com/gb/en/blog/OurAircraft/g-vhow-do-we-name-our-aircraft.html|title=G-VHOW do we name our aircraft?|last=Gunner|first=Dave|website=Virgin Atlantic|date=7 August 2019|access-date=3 September 2021}}</ref> In 2018, a previously stored Airbus A340-600 registered G-VNAP was returned to active use by Virgin Atlantic, and was renamed from ''Sleeping Beauty'' to ''Sleeping Beauty Rejuvenated''. It additionally received a special "thank you" livery dedicated to its 9,000 employees.<ref>{{Cite web|title=PICTURES: Virgin Atlantic unveils special livery to thank employees|url=https://www.flightglobal.com/orders-and-deliveries/pictures-virgin-atlantic-unveils-special-livery-to-thank-employees/127081.article|date=2018-02-13|access-date=2020-10-05|website=[[FlightGlobal]]|publisher=[[DVV Media Group]]|language=en}}</ref> In 2019, one of the airline's Boeing 747-400 aircraft (Registration G-VROS) was renamed from ''English Rose'' to ''Forever  Young'' in honour of lost colleagues.

The current livery dates from 2010 and returns to the "Eurowhite" design featuring purple billboard titles on the fuselage, slight changes to the Scarlet Lady, and new red metallic paint for the aircraft's tail and engines. On aircraft that have winglets, the wingtips are red, with the logo on the inside facing passengers on board. The Virgin Atlantic logo was also added in purple billboard titles to the underside of the aircraft.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.marketingweek.com/virgin-atlantic-flies-high-with-new-brand-livery-and-identity/ |title= Virgin Atlantic flies high with new brand livery and identity. |first=Branwell |last=Johnson |date=29 July 2010 |work=Marketing Week |location= London |access-date=1 December 2011}}</ref>

In anticipation of the [[Airbus A350 XWB|Airbus A350-1000]]'s introduction to the airline's fleet, Virgin Atlantic announced in April 2019 that its Flying Lady mascot to be adorned on the A350's nose would be replaced by illustrations referred to as ''Flying Icons'', consisting of a range of five individual characters in an effort to represent modern Britain.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.flightglobal.com/strategy/pictures-virgin-atlantic-replaces-flying-lady-motif-on-a350-1000/132106.article|title=PICTURES: Virgin Atlantic replaces Flying Lady motif on A350-1000|last=Harper|first=Lewis|website=[[FlightGlobal]]|publisher=[[DVV Media Group]]|date=2 April 2019|access-date=3 September 2021}}</ref> Each of the characters, separately named Daley, Meera, Oscar, Ray, and Zadie, were styled and posed with Union flags similarly to the Flying Lady. Originally portraying the characters in [[leotard]]s, the illustrations were later revised by designer Toby Tinsley to instead portray the characters wearing more clothing and revealing less skin, prior to their application on Virgin Atlantic's first A350.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aerotelegraph.com/en/virgins-flying-icons-are-suddenly-wearing-more-clothes|title=No more bathing suits: Virgin's Flying Icons are suddenly wearing more clothes|last=Stoffels|first=Felix|website=aeroTELEGRAPH|date=4 March 2020|access-date=3 September 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.creativemoment.co/flights-of-fancy-five-new-icons-celebrating-british-culture-today-appear-on-virgin-aircraft|title=Five new icons celebrating British culture today appear on Virgin aircraft|last=Smith|first=Lucy|website=Creative Moment|date=28 November 2019|access-date=3 September 2021}}</ref> Meera, one of the first five characters, was also at some point changed to or replaced by Mei, a new character portraying a Chinese woman. Reasons for the changes or revisions were not provided by Virgin Atlantic or anyone involved in the branding. At least one additional Flying Icon was unveiled to complement the initial five, including an icon portraying an Indian woman, named Aria.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.virgin.com/about-virgin/latest/virgin-atlantic-reveals-new-flying-icon-india|title=Virgin Atlantic reveals a new flying icon for India|last=Clarkson|first=Natalie|website=Virgin|date=17 December 2019|access-date=3 September 2021}}</ref>

[[File:Virgin Atlantic airbus a350-1000 G-VJAM.jpg|thumb|Virgin Atlantic [[Airbus A350|Airbus A350-1000]] G-VJAM arriving at the [[Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport]]]]