Editing Virgin Atlantic (section)

===Ownership===
Virgin Group sold a 49% stake in the airline to [[Singapore Airlines]] in 1999 for £600&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite news |title=Branson sells 49% of Virgin Atlantic |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/572516.stm |work=BBC News |date=20 December 1999 |access-date=14 October 2020}}</ref> On 14 May 2008, Singapore Airlines formally announced an invitation for offers for its Virgin Atlantic stake, and publicly acknowledged that its stake in the airline had "underperformed".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/347747/1/.html |title=SIA invites offers for its 49% stake in Virgin Atlantic |publisher=Channelnewsasia.com |date=14 May 2008 |access-date=7 June 2011 |archive-date=29 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929015515/http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/347747/1/.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In November 2010, it was reported that Virgin Atlantic had appointed [[Deutsche Bank]] to begin a strategic review of options for the airline following the tie-up between British Airways and American Airlines.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sir Richard Branson begins strategic review of Virgin Atlantic |author=Alistair Osborne |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/transport/8111295/Sir-Richard-Branson-begins-strategic-review-of-Virgin-Atlantic.html |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |location =London |date=5 November 2010 |access-date=14 October 2020}}</ref> By February 2011, it was confirmed that [[SkyTeam]] members [[Air France–KLM]] and Delta Air Lines had appointed [[Goldman Sachs]] to advise them on a joint potential approach for Virgin Atlantic. [[Etihad Airways]] was also reported to be considering a deal,<ref>{{cite news |title=Air France and Delta to target Virgin Atlantic |author=Louise Armitstead |url= https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/transport/8336857/Air-France-and-Delta-to-target-Virgin-Atlantic.html |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |location= London |date=20 February 2011 |access-date=14 October 2020}}</ref> and [[Willie Walsh (Irish businessman)|Willie Walsh]], chief executive of [[International Airlines Group]], stated that they would be interested in the airline, but only for the lucrative take-off and landing slots it holds at Heathrow Airport.<ref>{{cite news |title=IAG 'very interested' in Virgin, but only for slots: Walsh |author=Max Kingsley-Jones |url= http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2011/02/24/353562/iag-very-interested-in-virgin-but-only-for-slots.html |newspaper=Flightglobal |date=24 February 2011 |access-date=1 August 2013}}</ref>

On 11 December 2012, Delta Air Lines confirmed the purchase of Singapore Airlines' 49% stake in Virgin Atlantic for £224 million, with plans to develop a transatlantic joint venture. Regulatory approval from the United States and European Union was granted on 20 June 2013,<ref>{{cite news |title=Regulators Clear Virgin Atlantic/Delta Deal |url=http://news.sky.com/story/1106216/regulators-clear-virgin-atlantic-delta-deal |newspaper=Sky News |date=20 June 2013 |access-date=23 June 2013}}</ref> and the purchase was completed on 24 June.<ref>{{cite news |title=Delta secures Virgin Atlantic stake |author=Andrew Parker |url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/7137fd22-dcb2-11e2-9700-00144feab7de.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210221253/https://www.ft.com/content/7137fd22-dcb2-11e2-9700-00144feab7de |archive-date=10 December 2022 |url-access=subscription |work=Financial Times |location=London |date=24 June 2013 |access-date=24 June 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> In December 2012, [[International Airlines Group]] CEO, Willie Walsh, suggested that the loss-making company would be history within five years. "I can't see Delta wanting to operate the Virgin brand because if they do what does that say about the Delta brand? I just don't see that the guy [Branson] has anything that stands out in terms of what he has achieved in the industry."<ref>{{Cite news |url= https://business.time.com/2012/12/13/virgin-finally-hooks-up-why-richard-branson-made-a-deal-with-delta/ |work=Time Magazine |location=New York |title=Virgin Finally Hooks Up: Why Richard Branson Cut a Deal With Delta |first=Bill |last=Saporito |date=13 December 2012 |access-date=12 December 2012}}</ref>

In July 2017, Virgin Group agreed to sell a 31% stake in the airline to Air France-KLM for £220 million, leaving it with a 20% holding.<ref name="BBC" /> The deal fell through in late 2019.<ref name="FT">{{Cite news |last=Powley |first=Tanya |date=2019-12-04 |title=Air France-KLM drops plan to buy third of Virgin Atlantic |url=https://www.ft.com/content/0a67e5f4-16b6-11ea-8d73-6303645ac406 |access-date=2025-03-05 |work=Financial Times}}</ref>