Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Aug 04, 2025

COVID-19: Virgin Atlantic boss says 'no reason to delay' return of UK-US travel as it posts £858m loss

COVID-19: Virgin Atlantic boss says 'no reason to delay' return of UK-US travel as it posts £858m loss

Virgin wants the US to be on the UK's green list when non-essential travel reopens under a "traffic light" system next month.

The boss of Virgin Atlantic says there is "no reason to delay" the return of US-UK travel next month - as the carrier reported an £858m annual loss.

Virgin, which has cut thousands of jobs with flights grounded during the pandemic - and last autumn completed a rescue deal with investors - said passenger numbers last year fell by more than 80% to 1.1 million.

Under the government's roadmap for reopening, non-essential travel is set to resume on 17 May under a "traffic light" system but it has yet to announce which countries will be on the "green list" subject to fewest restrictions.

The carrier is 51% owned by Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group


Virgin's boss Shai Weiss has argued that the US should be on the list - which will allow passengers to return from the selected countries without having to isolate, though they will have to pay for COVID tests.

Mr Weiss said: "With world leading vaccination programmes in both the UK and US, and evidence to support safe reopening through testing, there is a clear opportunity to open up travel and no reason to delay beyond 17 May."

The comments, reiterating a stance previously outlined by Mr Weiss, come after easyJet boss Johan Lundgren said earlier this month that European holiday destinations such as Spain, Italy, Greece and Portugal should be on the list too.

Travel sector operators have also been asking to be told about the list as soon as possible as the reopening date nears.

This week, Jet2 said the uncertainty was resulting in travellers leaving bookings until the last minute.

Transatlantic routes typically account for about four-fifths of revenues for Virgin Atlantic - which is 51% owned by Sir Richard Branson's Virgin group and 49% by America's Delta airlines.

Mr Weiss said Virgin welcomed the government's framework for reopening travel but that it did not go far enough, with hundreds of thousands of jobs in the industry at stake.

"Now we need certainty that the framework will allow for a phased removal of testing and quarantine," he said.

Virgin said revenues fell by 70% to £868m last year with an upturn in cargo volumes the only financial boost.

It also said it "made a significant contribution towards the national effort to protect lives, from transporting vital PPE and medical supplies, to volunteering to support NHS frontline services".

The carrier said it had processed more than £600m of customer refunds during the year as a result of the disruption.

Virgin's loss for the year of £858m compares to a loss of £63.7m in 2019.

The annual report showed that the company's number of employees fell from 10,016 to 5,907 over the year while the company received £70m from the government's furlough scheme subsidising the wages of workers temporarily laid off due to the pandemic.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
Tesla Seeks Shareholder Approval for $29 Billion Compensation Package for Elon Musk
Nvidia is cutting prices on its RTX 50-series graphics cards after sales slowed and inventories piled up
Ghislaine Maxwell Transferred to Minimum-Security Prison Amid Ongoing DOJ Discussions
U.S. Tariffs Surge to Highest Levels in Nearly a Century Under Second Trump Term
Matt Taibbi Slams Media for Role in Russiagate Narrative
Pilots Call for Mental Health Support Without Stigma
All Five Trapped Miners Found Dead After El Teniente Mine Collapse
Ong Beng Seng Pleads Guilty in Corruption Case Linked to Former Singapore Transport Minister
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
Italy Fines Shein One Million Euros for Misleading Sustainability Claims
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
Declassified Annex Links Soros‑Affiliated Officials and Clinton Campaign to ‘Russiagate’ Narrative
UK's Online Safety Law: A Front for Censorship
Nationwide Protests Erupt in Brazil Demanding Presidential Resignation
Parents Abandon Child at Barcelona Airport Over Passport Issue
Mystery Surrounds Death of Brazilian Woman with iPhones Glued to Her Body
Bus Driver Discovers Toddler Hidden in Suitcase in New Zealand
Switzerland Celebrates 734 Years of Independence Amid Global Changes
U.S. Opens Official Investigation into Former Trump Prosecutor Jack Smith
Leaked audio of Canada's new PM Mark Carney admitting the truth about the Net Zero agenda: "We're gonna make a lot of money off of this."
China Enforces Comprehensive Ban on Cryptocurrency Activities
Absolutely 100% Realistic EVO Series Doll by EXDOLL (Chinese Company) used mainly for carnal purposes
World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab: "In this new world, we must accept... total transparency. You have to get used to it. You have to behave accordingly. But if you have nothing to hide, you shouldn't be afraid."
Meet Mufti Hamid Patel, head of Office for Standards in Education in Pakistan
George Soros tells the World Economic Forum: "President Trump is a con man and the ultimate narcissist, who wants the world to revolve around him."
Hamas are STARVING the hostages.
Decline in Tourism in Majorca Amidst Ongoing Anti-Tourism Protests
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
Poland Begins Excavation at Dziemiany After New Clue to World War II‑Era Nazi Treasure
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Threatens Canada with Tariffs Over Palestinian State Recognition
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Trump Sues Murdoch in “Heavyweight Bout”: Lawsuit Over Alleged Epstein Letter Sets Stage for Courtroom Showdown
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
J.K. Rowling Limits Public Engagements Citing Safety Fears
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
×