RICHARD BRANSON: There was 'sadly nothing I could do to stop' Alaska Air's takeover of Virgin America

Better Alaska, which is a decent airline, than Delta, American, or United.

Flying Virgina America was the best airline experience I've had for decades.

Richard branson is a classy gentleman..i am sure it is painful to him to see a part of "his baby" taken over..thats what happens in corporate America when you have many shareholders and stockholders in the mix, and lose your own identity...

Big companies like the free enterprise system but seem to dislike competition; thus all the mergers. As the number of mergers occur less competition results followed by increased costs to the consumers. Virgin Australia forced Qantas to lower domestic fares. Unfortunately we in Canada have no domestic competition because foreign controlled domestic airlines are not allowed. Our domestic fares are outrageous;it is cheaper to fly internationally because there is competition from other airlines. The airline industry seems immune from consumer protection; if you polled passengers on any flight the number of different fares paid in any one class would be in double figures. Other retail companies would never get away with this.

That's SIR Richard Branson, quite a man.

Alaska is going to definitely ruin all that was good about Virgin America. I flew on Alaska once, and the plane was dirty and run down. I can only imagine what they're going to do with VA's beautiful fleet. Sad day.

All about profits baby! Alaska will screw up Virgin just like United did to Continental.

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Richard Branson on Virgin America

My first airline was started out of frustration. As a young record executive, I travelled the world flying by other airlines, but found the experience dreadful.

http://e-spaces.eu/?p=28610

it is a fact of life that customers (passengers) fly by loyalty when they can,but for the most part, if they need to get from point a to point b, must choose whichever airline serves that market..it is also a fact of life that cost enters into the booking process, and not every flyer can afford the extra money to book a first class seat if available..some airlines, like southwest for example, do not have first class,but rather an all the same seating arrangement..and all of them now charge for an exit row seat or an aisle seat if you reserve seating...flying has not been the same in years,either with fares or with customer service,and people will fly anyway, even if there is no legroom,simply because they have to..delta,american and united have all gone "downhill" in many areas since their various mergers,so i would not expect this one to be any better if approved...

Hope Jet Blue remains independent. In my opinion, the best airline out there. It's a pleasure to be a passenger on Jet Blue.

Branson will not be so sad when the 3/4 billion bucks of his share enters into his banking account. I am told that in reality Alaska had to grow or else be exposed to be swallowed by any of the Big 3 specially American. Secondly I am also told that Branson´s financial exposure on his so far ill starred schem to launch highly explosive rockets for a few seconds up to 60 miles (charging 250K a head) is costing him far more dough than he planned to.

I have to agree with some of the posters. I have flown Alaska several times and if there were any other way to get where I was going, I would chosen anyone else. They are running cattle cars and that is how they treat the passengers. Between the chaos at the gate and typical late performance I don't see why anyone with a choice would fly Alaska. Virgin America will disappear and yet another choice will be gone forever.