Virgin Australia
Australia · VIRGIN · Active
Airline Identity
History
Virgin Australia launched as Virgin Blue on 31 August 2000, co-founded by Richard Branson and Brett Godfrey with two Boeing 737-400s flying Brisbane–Sydney, and grew rapidly into Australia's number-two carrier after rival Ansett Australia collapsed in September 2001. The airline rebranded to Virgin Australia in 2011, adding business class and shifting toward a full-service model, but the COVID-19 pandemic pushed it into voluntary administration on 21 April 2020, after which US private equity firm Bain Capital acquired the airline and completed its restructuring in November 2020.
Current Operations
Virgin Australia operates an all-Boeing 737 fleet (737-800s and 737 MAX 8s) across a domestic-focused network hubbed at Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney, with secondary operations at Adelaide and Perth, positioning itself as a mid-market "hybrid" carrier. Qatar Airways took an approved minority stake (around 23–25%) in the airline starting in early 2025, and Virgin Australia relisted on the Australian Securities Exchange in June 2025, with Bain Capital retaining a large shareholding alongside the new Qatar Airways stake. The airline maintains extensive codeshare and partnership ties (including with Qatar Airways) for international connectivity rather than membership in one of the three major global alliances.
Last verified 2026-09-02· Source: airline public disclosures, company press releases & aviation-industry reporting.