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Manchester Airports Group adds voice to Virgin Atlantic bailout

Virgin Atlantic (Image: Max Thrust Digital)

Virgin Atlantic (Image: Max Thrust Digital)

The Chief Executive of Manchester Airports Group (MAG) Charlie Cornish has written to Chancellor Rishi Sunak to lobby in support of a government deal to bail out Virgin Atlantic (VS/VIR).

MAG joins Airbus and Rolls-Royce in supporting the airline which is owned by Richard Bransons’ Virgin Atlantic Limited (51%) and America’s Delta Airlines (49%).

Virgin carries almost 1 million people every year from Manchester Airport (MAN/EGCC) to destinations in the US including New York, Atlanta and Los Angeles.

Manchester Airport (Image: MAG)

In the letter Mr Cornish says that Virgin “directly benefits” Manchester and the surrounding region.

The UK Government has already agreed a deal to support low-cost carrier Easyjet (U2/EZY) but has warned airlines that they must seek commercial help first.

Any request for government support will be looked at on a case by case basis.

Like most airlines Virgin Atlantic have all but stopped operations during the coronavirus pandemic but public support for a bail out seems low fro Virgin with many calling for Richard Branson to step in and give the airline he started a lifeline instead of the UK Government.

Virgin Atlantic was also part of a consortium with Stobart Group that took and struggling regional airline Flybe which it allowed to finally collapse earlier this year.

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