维珍航空离开布兰森能不能继续运转也很难说。维珍大西洋航空有很多让旅客津津乐道的特色，比如头等舱旅客有专门的接机服务，而且它对旅客的行李限重也很慷慨，这无不符合布兰森天马行空的性格和对传统的蔑视，因此维珍才会有那么多死忠的顾客。没有了布兰森，维珍航空也许一样难逃破产的命运。

    英国航空收购BMI之后，布兰森曾表示，维珍大西洋航空或许也应该加入某个大型航空联盟，但这并不意味着它要放弃对公司的控制权——更不用说把他的机位让给来自某些亚特兰大州的美国人。综上所述，达美航空最好只是邀请维珍大西洋航空加入天合联盟，把钱省下来干点别的事，比如维持好它新建的精炼厂，或是买一些急需的新飞机。

    译者：朴成奎

    It is hard to see Virgin operate without Branson at the helm. The airline's perks and amenities, from its complimentary chauffeured pickups for upper class passengers to generous baggage allowances for passengers in coach, fits with Branson's whimsical disregard for convention which has made Virgin such a hit with its fiercely loyal customers. Without Branson at the helm, Virgin might as well just liquidate.

    Branson has said that Virgin would probably need to join one of the big airline alliances in the wake of BA's takeover of BMI, but that doesn't mean he is about to give up control of the airline – let alone just give away landing slots to some Americans from Atlanta. Given all this, it would be best if Delta just invites Virgin to join Skyteam and saves its money for other things, like maintaining its new refinery or for buying some badly needed new jets.