Tweet
There is a report in Sky News that a global network of low cost carriers is being organized, bringing together Virgin Atlantic with one of Europe's leading LCC's, EasyJet, and Malaysia-based Air Asia.
The obvious missing piece is North America, but once Branson's new Virgin America Airline, which has already taken delivery of its first airplanes, gets off the ground, I suspect that piece will be in place. Access to a global alliance will give Virgin America a leg up on existing US LCC's like JetBlue and Southwest.
I wonder if the other leading European LCC, RyanAir, will now try to find partners like Iceland Air to build their own alliance. Ryan Air did recently attempt a hostile takeover of Irish national airline Aer Lingus, which would have given them trans-Atlantic access.
The obvious missing piece is North America, but once Branson's new Virgin America Airline, which has already taken delivery of its first airplanes, gets off the ground, I suspect that piece will be in place. Access to a global alliance will give Virgin America a leg up on existing US LCC's like JetBlue and Southwest.
I wonder if the other leading European LCC, RyanAir, will now try to find partners like Iceland Air to build their own alliance. Ryan Air did recently attempt a hostile takeover of Irish national airline Aer Lingus, which would have given them trans-Atlantic access.