The Independent: Branson's flights of fancy: The highs and lows of Virgin Atlantic

By Simon Calder

"Amanda!" Last Sunday afternoon, the UK's most recognisable female celebrity was arguably the Britain's Got Talent judge, Amanda Holden. The previous evening, her programme had attracted nearly 19m viewers.

How do you follow that? By flying to New York. Any one of five airlines could have taken her across; Heathrow to JFK is the busiest intercontinental air route in the world. But Ms Holden chose the airline designed to appeal to travellers who believe flying should still have elements of glamour.

Yet 25 years ago Virgin Atlantic had still to take to the skies; its maiden flight took off from Gatwick to Newark, New Jersey, on 22 June 1984. The talented music mogul, Richard Branson, leased a second-hand Boeing 747, started selling tickets through Virgin record stores, and began to transform travel as he had music retailing.

A quarter-century on, Ms Holden arrived at the airline's Upper Class Wing at Heathrow. This facility, tucked out of sight from ordinary travellers, is the closest approximation to a private-jet terminal for anyone flying on a scheduled airline. As she stepped from her limousine, she bumped into Virgin Atlantic's founder and president, Sir Richard Branson. He greeted her, they hugged, and she disappeared to the closest approximation to bliss at Heathrow: the Virgin Clubhouse.

Then the music entrepreneur-turned-airline tycoon sat down to talk about the airline that Richard built. Has Virgin got talent? And what did Branson ever do for us? (more)