Richard Branson on British Airways’ dirty tricks

[@businessjetguru1298]

I was an early Virgin Atlantic customer. I was flying to New York all the time. I was called at my hotel, late at night, accosted at the airport and BA kept trying to upgrade me to Concorde, anytime they called. They were aggressive, unpleasant, and eventually threatening. I refused their approaches, and have not flown with BA since. Their tactics were stressful and deeply upsetting, because I was using Virgin every few weeks! A wild time…

[@thesmithersy]

The 90s must have been such a fun time for business travellers.

[@AlonsoRules]

Maybe BA should have concentrated on their business class product, rather than trying to put another airline out of business

[@Stranger_In_The_Alps]

The only people who complain about biz class are the people who use points to fly

[@markherzog9484]

Ok, ask Richard how much he has sold out his airline businesses for…….. he’s a small bit player after he extracted his Carribean funds… ask anyone of his ‘ordinary’ employees in Virgin finance, coke, banks etc etc etc…..

[@thesmithersy]

They took out 2 of their rivals in Dan Air and Air Europe using these tactics, they thought they could do the same for Virgin but luckily Virgin had a loyal customer base and had a backup of the Virgin Records business as a fallback.

[@6Lilies6Phillies]

I flew 3 or 4 times from LA to London on Virgin Atlantic. It was the best flying experience even to this day.

[@ggff3761]

Owesome Music really?

[@dennysmith7862]

Lovely man... on principle wld'nt fly BAA ... my elderly mom flew Virgin to UK or from & said it was the most fun... laughed all the way...a young flight attendant brought her a great cuppa in his own mug calling her "mum"... love Brits but this man is SPECIAL... msge to old fossil Lord King : "Jealousy makes you nasty..."

[@gurdas]

Love this guy!! Thanks for a grammar interview graham!!

[@barneyward6448]

Feels intriguing watching this knowing British Airways have been pulling their dirty tricks recently with the pilots going on strike.

[@GabeClendenning]

Love your channel!

[@markherzog9484]

Numpty comments on a financial engineer and profit taker…… he sued the NHS in the U.K. how’s that compatible with his ‘sainthood’

[@Abdullah-qn3zx]

I love your interviews

[@E69apeTheMatrix420]

BA stands for bad attitude, rite? Any way. Dirty Tricks, the lot of them! no place for nonsense the airline business. I won't fly BA out of principle. Virgin was the First flight I ever caught: pre 911 I went into the cockpit! Never flown Virgin again but I would do If I can't find a way better deal elsewhere like usual. Tui usually on a dreamliner with more legroom and less money. But I like you a lot. For standing your ground and winning. Selling a business to have the means to do so. Great success. You are a legend Richard!

[@danjackson4672]

Great interview Graham!

[@Charlie-UK]

"Your reputation is all you have in life". I am surprised Richard Branson can say that with a straight face. Says the man who won't go anywhere without a team of litigation lawyers. The man who operates the disreputable, Virgin Care UK, private healthcare company, which is exploiting, NHS patients and sucking valuable resources, away from NHS patients. The man who lives in the Virgin Islands, where he pays no, Income Tax, No VAT, No Council Tax. All in the name of increasing his already obscene fortune...

[@Bobbibouchersmumwasright]

Bravo!!! (Clearly not someone (like me) who finds the black board story believable) lol

[@ChescoYT]

*Richard Branson = Courage!*

[@jonnysupreme]

"Lord king" What a name! Jesus Christ 🤣😂🤣

[@norrisbethke7770]

Brits are not immune to dirty tricks ? Thumbs up for Sir Richard, wouldn’t mind working for him..liked V Cola better than the others

[@dashcamtesttest1167]

I know people have contrasting views of Richard Branson and I totally respect that but I personally had the pleasure of working for Virgin Mobile based in Trowbridge, Wiltshire for 11 years and I can honestly say that it was back then the best job ever. I met Richard a few times and he was amazing. Sadly, the Trowbridge call centre was closed in 2012 but whilst it was open - what a ride it was. Nothing but admiration for Mr B.

[@Bobbibouchersmumwasright]

He kept you sweet to the tune of thousands at the same time of keeping many Billions from the public purse in dodged tax!! … the other 99.999999999999999% of the population lost for your gain.. I’m not saying you are wrong for taking it but please at least consider how those Bonuses were actually funded..not by generosity but by cleaver business/ Theft! (Not by you I will add!) lol

[@Onlinesully]

Id imagine that he would be good that way. wonder how the others at the call centre feel about him, who were thrown aside, when he decided to go elsewhere.

[@ryccoh]

This is what they're doing to Tesla right now, Idk why Tesla isn't suing

[@JetstreamAviation747]

I love Richard, such a great guy and has a brilliant airline. BA doing these things is criminal.

[@dennysmith7862]

Am reading Richard Branson's autobiography... fascinating stuff... lovely gutsy man with huge cute factor... his parents did a marvelous job with him... his own man - no ego or hardly - humble & well mannered...

[@markherzog9484]

Really? His mummy had to go to court to plea on his behalf after he committed tax fraud against the British tax rules at the time (early 70’s) just Google the tricks he perpetrated with record ‘exports’…….

[@norrisbethke7770]

Thumbs up for Sir Richard, wouldn’t mind working for him

[@SwarnaShanmugalingam]

Always loved to listen. God bless you and keep you safe ❤️

[@jrgboy]

Branson often flew to NYC on the French Concorde, he did want to buy Concorde only Airbus wanted nearly $200 million for spares & the only people qualified to service the aircraft were BA engineers ...he quietly withdrew,, BTW he has very little to do with the Virgin group these days having sold most of his shares to fund his space expeditions..

[@thesmithersy]

It was more likely that BA said no because they didn't want their flagship aircraft in the hands of their biggest rival. Plus Branson's insulting initial offer of £1 a Concorde probably didn't help.

[@chaimshmuel7746]

Love the interview...

[@Medinalegend]

hope meeting him 😎

[@matthewclarke6522]

Branson and virgin were doing exactly the same as B.A. at the time.All Branson did was get in first and stop poaching B.A.'s passengers, Then cried wolf - Lord King and Branson were as bad as each other. Read Tom Bowers book, "Branson" and you'll get a clear idea of who Branson is. He's shrewd and a chancer, but mainly with other peoples money.

[@doveronefoxtrot4417]

this airline is currently on the floor.

[@apl175]

AA/BA No Way!

[@thomasrose38]

Compared to Trump he's an angel name me a billionaire who got rich by being nice to people never existed

[@philthornton1382]

Nah, trump is open about who he is, a normal dude, Branson paints himself like a saint but he’s a leech

[@imnotavingthat6813]

I love RB but he's a cheeky bastard asking for us to help pay his staff while virus goes on.

[@Bobbibouchersmumwasright]

Virgin was truly a great experience in the 90s honestly a pleasure to fly with them… but if you believe the black board story you need your head checked…

[@norrisbethke7770]

Brits are not immune to dirty tricks ?

[@AsafKopla]

Huge sacrifice. You had to sell your lifetime venture.

[@albertod6770]

Richard Branson is a Real and successful Business Man. unlike that Trump airline, so much for art of the deal, LOL!

[@emilyemr2591]

does richard ever actually look at anyone when he's speaking to them. guy is doing everything but look at the interviewer, very weird and disrespectful.

[@CadillacJak]

This guy is a crook