The War of Dirty Tricks: How Richard Branson Defeated British Airways

Richard Branson is no virgin to the skies. But what happens when one of those “big businesses” wants to fight back using dirty tricks? Today's episode highlights the story of Branson’s once underdog airline, Virgin Atlantic, and its “David V. Goliath” battle against British Airways for the right to the skies, a battle that would infamously become known as the "Dirty Tricks Campaign".
Branson took on the audacious goal of starting an airline, a risky industry prone to failure and bankruptcies. Virgin Atlantic was meant to improve the experience of passengers, using fun as a business model. But British Airways wasn’t happy that some “rock and roll hippie” was trying to steal its thunder. Under the leadership of Lord King, British Airways decided to play dirty.
Using covert teams, stolen information, impersonations, private investigators, and leaking damaging rumors, British Airways would stop at nothing to stop Branson’s dream of offering a better airline.
Today’s video shows you how to emerge victorious when you’re the underdog (especially when it seems as if the whole world is against you). Branson’s resilience, as told through this tale, shows you how he’s built the Virgin empire, proving that business and fun can, and should, co-exist.
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📚 If you enjoyed this video about Branson's battle with British Airways, we recommend you read the book "Losing My Virginity: How I Survived, Had Fun, and Made a Fortune Doing Business My Way" by (none other than) Richard Branson 👉amzn.to/3gx3YfQ
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(Special thanks to our narrator, Toby Ricketts!)
NOTE: We made an error at 7:40. We accidentally indicated Virgin's operating loss was 9.3m euros, when in fact this figure was actually 9.3m pounds (￡9.3M ). The Euro was not introduced until January 1st, 1999. Our apologies for this error!
#RichardBranson #Virgin #DirtyTricks

[@BusinessCasual]

⚠ 📣 *MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT:* Business Casual is suing KZbin. We have just published a feature-length documentary about our case. It is being censored. If you are a fellow creator, you need to watch this. ➡ kzbin.info/www/bejne/anrEgJiMnL9grcU

[@JREwithin]

nice actor. i mean youtube IS right, your "visuals" are quite literally public images with a 3d effect and a few basic other ones.

[@TheScarbro970]

Is there a way I can make my competition disappear from this platform? Asking for some friends.

[@UltraRik]

The fact that you can't even sue scammers without having a billion dollars to spare proves that we need to challange the monopoly on judicature just how branson challanged BA.

[@therocketmanprince682]

he had money that why he did that if he did not have money he will be broke like Euro aireline

[@caorusso4926]

The judicature system is broken, and anyone that say against its will simply disapear

[@evaristegalois8600]

ThE ROCKET MAN prince he could lose everything in this project.. He created himself his own records company he stated with nothing

[@joshuajoe1419]

Ikr British Airways could do whatever they wanted to. They probably would have bankrupted Virgin Airways If it wasn’t for Virgin Records.

[@sjegannath6295]

I think a system exists where if you have enough appealing evidence, you can actually force the judiciary to make the company pay for you fighting against them in the court case. I have heard about it but i am not sure.

[@jensenraylight8011]

Sir Richard Branson, Almighty Lord King Slayer, sounds like a badass title for a medieval knight

[@hermanman8235]

Not REALLY a lords honor if he attack first in a dirty pheasant way

[@BusinessCasual]

NOTE: We made an error at 7:40. We accidentally indicated Virgin's operating loss was 9.3m euros, when in fact this figure was actually 9.3m pounds (￡9.3M ). The Euro was not introduced until January 1st, 1999. Our apologies for this error!

[@Charles50Kal]

Brexit

[@dylreesYT]

5:19 - you spelled favourite the American way while quoting a former British Prime Minister.

[@McVaio]

The euro was introduced in 2002, but never in Britain. They still use pounds.

[@dylreesYT]

@@McVaio The Euro was introduced in 1999, as he said. All the currencies were tied together beforehand using ERM II but in 1999 they had an exchange rate with the Euro. It was 2002 that the physical cash began circulating but in legal terms the Euro existed in 1999, but in practise it was a theoretical currency at that point but did have a central bank, government backing and pretty much everything it has now. I see why you would say it was introduced in 2002 but any date after 1/1/1999 you can accurately convert any amount into euros.

[@badboykillalife6823]

@@dylreesYT you know what you a talking about maybe you should start a channel I will subscribe

[@TheBossmansam]

They should make a movie about this

[@adityasanthosh702]

Don't give Aaron Sorkin ideas!!

[@jeewssam8418]

My exact feeling...this sounded more like a movie than a real life incident....Sir Richard Branson is one of a kind

[@craigfield8465]

Plenty of films of virgins getting screwed already

[@Ambrodilplus]

Series would be better

[@Vibranium603]

There is an Indian 2020 movie called 'Soorarai Potru' which has this exact story.

[@artemiszero2153]

CEO and anyone else involved should have went to jail, and he should be forced to step down for what he did. Also great job Mr.Branson and company for fighting back against people who try to push you around. Their is room in the market for other players, who play far and honest.

[@lynnquinn5774]

Look at Branson now, HYPOCRISY or what.

[@bluesdude514]

There*

[@thewildcardperson]

@@lynnquinn5774 What do you do not use your pronouns right what the f***'s wrong with you

[@640A]

He looked like the oldest 28yr I've ever seen, but a great businessman indeed. ''BA can't get it up'' has to be one of the most brilliant campaigns ever!

[@nelsonsiore532]

The stress of running companies...Elon Musk once talked about it.

[@edensolomon23]

Your videos are very well made, I hope you continue.

[@WilsonTsai]

This Knight’s story came straight out of Game of Thrones. Go House Branson 👑

[@sergiase2655]

Sir Richard Branson, Almighty Lord King Slayer

[@sasmills]

One of my favorite channels of all time. Thank you

[@estabien9620]

More than the content, I liked the animation and graphics. They were so smooth. Awesome vid, guys.

[@Nikhil_George]

I always wait for Business Casual to upload their informative videos... And when they do,that makes my day... I really don't know whether is it only me having such feeling...❤☺

[@BusinessCasual]

Thank you, Nikhil!

[@bombadil776]

Great story! I think, one of the best entrepreneurial stories out there.

[@Napstone]

Oh wow he was only 34 years of age when he started Virgin Airways and whadaya know in about a month’s time June 22nd this year 2020, Virgin Airways will be 34 years! 😃 Now that’s synchronous

[@financebros7803]

Bransons super underrated in America - love his story

[@alexanderolsen8212]

The transition to the advert, in the end, was so smooth I chuckled. Well done.

[@teetc331_abhisheklonkar8]

You really make great videos bro and i always look forward to watch these,hope u upload more frequently 👍

[@btw-hl9id]

Great video and awesome transition to the ad. Love this channel.

[@kraken-sx2ys]

Thanks for the video!! :)

[@warrenresearchinc.1883]

That’s an incredible story! Success takes a lot work and doing what’s right should always win!

[@fullyloaded332]

This video was very helpful thank you sir, This Lesson will help Me alot.

[@samnguyenthi3092]

Thanks for making this video (and always add subtitle)

[@lethaldon]

My new favorite channel!

[@Planag7]

Not exactly an underdog Story if the guys already almost a billionaire xD Love the video though

[@muni5450]

A billion ain’t exactly a lot in airline terms

[@ExcelonTheFourthAvalonHeirs]

Underdog in airline industries.

[@diveenvarma5068]

It is relative

[@alich9554]

Great Video

[@johannesbols57]

I flew Virgin America SEA - SFO return twice in June 2010 in First Class. How sweet it was!

[@bryanlee7295]

Thank you Branson, you inspired me to shake up my industry in my own country.

[@drifter4training]

Any chances of making videos on Seiko, Casio, citizen watch brands and pentel stationery brand ?

[@NWO]

This channel is my inspiration 🥰🥰🥰

[@xenotiic8356]

1:37 Re:Zero is my favourite album!

[@ExcelonTheFourthAvalonHeirs]

Ah, the trap. Finally found it again.

[@hilmansudirman9857]

God dang it, yet another trap again......

[@Zekr0_]

Thank you, i was wondering where was felix

[@Mraccusity]

You should do a video on Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, the recently deceased founder of BRAC (the largest and most effective NGO in the world, even though many people have never heard of it). There is a lot of business and life lessons to draw from his amazing life.

[@marekzbanski7776]

Your channel is awesome! Would be cool if you also made some documentary length videos e.g 30-40mins

[@NoobsofFredo]

Am I the only one who recognized what Lord King was quoting when he said that Branson was "Too old to rock'n'roll, and too young to fly'? Just me? Well, alright, I guess.

[@chinox7116]

There's at least two of us, the rest are either too old to rock and roll or too young to know Ian Anderson.

[@NoobsofFredo]

@@chinox7116 And more's the pity to them.

[@vishnuvardhan_me1892]

I watched every single video on your channel. Now, I only wish you kept making videos

[@sokolshala485]

Ironic, Virgin is now basicly BA, expensive and awefull customer services, just try thier virgin media customer services line a call to find out how bad.

[@artman7780]

British Airways customer service is a mile ahead as compared to Air Canada’s.

[@arunseigell7361]

AgreeVirgin have no customer service at all And Branson pays NO TAXES AT ALL

[@paulsz6194]

Arun Seigell Hi will at least pay vat on anything he buys and brings back into the BVI. Other than Coconuts and weed, what else can he grow on his island?

[@cengizhandemirbas8641]

He became the very thing he swore to destroy

[@parthadey2415]

What an amazing story

[@gripitsleekllc5373]

He’s Sleeked🎮🔥 I love his style of go get it!! Brilliantly genius 💯👏👑

[@thedarkking7581]

You channel is my number 1 channel on KZbin. 😊

[@donja9666]

Your transition to the ad was brilliant!

[@saretgnasoh7351]

Agreed

[@mzeddytsl8950]

Very true

[@oldschoolman9878]

It was a smart move for Richard to leave the record industry when he did, because the industry would be dominated by ITunes in the 2000’s

[@amateurartistsmind898]

Video Suggestion: *Virgin - From Records to owning over 400 Companies.*

[@IftiAlam1999]

In the battle of good and evil, the good always wins.

[@luay1993]

(Fighting with the titans) That shuld the move name of this story 💪

[@sabtsmith]

Wow. Integrity is underrated in business.

[@AmaritoMan]

Keep up the good works guys it's entertaining and learning process you're offering really enjoy it :)

[@FizzyFactsTv]

Hello Sir, I am a BIG FAN of your work, Really enjoy each and every video you put on this platform. I have a question, can you please tell me how you turn these 2d pictures into 3d..which looks awesome I would like to try this for some of my projects. Thank you.

[@carapo66]

Damned hippy, ha, ha. I love this lesson.

[@dixitudit1]

Would love to see a video on advisory firms like - BCG and/or McKinsey & Co

[@georgiivanov8631]

I love ur channel

[@sanbetski]

I wish they would make a movie out of this, along the lines of Ford vs ferrari

[@craigfield8465]

The virgin who got screwed as soon as she got high?..... Been done mate

[@holden7583]

At 1:37 there is a disc on the stand to the right of his left arm that has a thumbnail of Felix from rezero? That's weird

[@Stratigic_Cheese_Reserve]

That's the best sponsor segue ever

[@billykobilca6321]

The airline business still neglects its passengers. Unless your in first class. All else be damned

[@DK-ul3lo]

Lit 🔥

[@ilyasghziyel3497]

Those guys are geniuses!

[@MagnusAnand]

A visionary

[@waltdisney3937]

400 companies!!!!! Holy F*ck!

[@hermanman8235]

The stright jackets should maybe cooperate with hippie happy when it came to profits instead of letting their high ego initiate dirty low down attacks that lead to their own demise

[@MrTomtomtest]

Seeing the state of the airline experience compared to even 20 years ago he failed miserably on that one.

[@cynthiaennis3107]

Good for him! 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼

[@tumi6428]

Please make a video about how amazon changed the way we shop

[@rishitjain2567]

*American Airlines* : cancels flight *Richard Branson* : I'm gonna do what's called a pro gamer move

[@rohitkulkarni3535]

@Business casual : bro why did you delete one of your best video on your friend building a company from scratch ( a web hosting company) and also filing it's ICO in Amsterdam ....??? It was one of the best video on your channel that really showed how to start a tech startup from scratch ( from groundup) and also showcased the phenomenal merits of filing an ICO instead of an IPO.... please upload that video again...

[@sebastianlim2499]

Smooth transition to the advert tho

[@1sttigertiger426]

How did Virgin get the rights for his plane to fly from Heathrow to other airports? That was the crucial first step. Also, who operated the plane dealing with safety regulators. Also, since Bditish Airways was a legacy carrier, their wages were higher than Virgin.

[@JasonB95]

Wow. This is a story.

[@taylorreich3053]

2:01 This man has the world's first VR headset

[@KapuvariP]

Please make a video with the Seward purchase!

[@se7enisrael]

Gotta appreciate a smooth ad segue

[@samsaliba1532]

Create a video on the story of Maserati please!

[@alastairmurray3153]

Remiss not to have included the late, great Sir Freddie Laker without whose guidance, tenacity, wisdom and past experience Virgin would most likely have failed.

[@meltup3668]

Richard Branson, king of the British skies 🇬🇧

[@aniru_dh21]

Can you make a video on Saudi Aramco

[@htootayzaaung4566]

Could you please make a video about how Corona virus is affecting the economies?

[@thomascrabtree]

I'm not surprised the employees BA used to engage in the dirty tricks campaign eventually broke down and confessed to Branson, the culture of sexism, harassment and bullying even at the highest levels of the company back in the 90's, even amongst senior pilots, was rife. This is also a lesson in treating your staff well or eventually even the lowest level workers will get their revenge, one way or another, no matter how high and mighty you are.

[@JamieWilliamsJamminJamie]

You should make a video on Sir Alan Sugar the next best entrepreneur after Sir Richard Branston, He started off in a flat in the eastend of London and now he is a billionair, the story is fantastic you should look him up i'd love to watch it

[@adolfhilter]

Thanks for the video, I had always thought this dude was an American

[@alexandrub8786]

And i always thought that you were a german.

[@sergiase2655]

@@alexandrub8786 actually austrian

[@einfachnurleo7099]

7:39 ... I always thought the euro/€ was introduced in 1999. Considering it happened in Britain I am assuming you're talking about punds/£?

[@einfachnurleo7099]

@North American KZbinr don't they usually have everything in USD anyway? Considering the mostly American audience that would have made sense. But purposely changing something into a currency that didn't exist at the time does not.

[@ThePrinceofParthia]

@@einfachnurleo7099 better yet, these are two British companies, where are the £s?

[@MagnusAnand]

It was a mistake. He clarified the error in a comment

[@jaiv]

1:37 what anime is that?

[@jaiv]

@@dunnoknow I thought that too, but Re:Zero's light novel was released in 2012, and I am assuming that picture was taken way before that.

[@hardrock342]

@@jaiv it is re: zero. It is the easter egg found in every one of his videos. You are new to the channel I assume.

[@jaiv]

@@hardrock342 oh that's cool lol

[@madgamer8198]

Smart advertising

[@aleksejdjurdjevic8467]

What an interesting Record Cover. Who might that be? 1:38

[@cancelled_user]

Who is that?

[@cancelled_user]

@North American KZbinr Yeah. What character is it and why they use it in every video? I don't know anything about anime.

[@rickyspanish4792]

Heh, good catch!

[@aleksejdjurdjevic8467]

Kyle Butler The character is Felix Aragyle. He’s from Re:Zero. Yes, he is a guy

[@cancelled_user]

@@aleksejdjurdjevic8467 Cheers mate! Now I need to understand why it's been used by Business Casual in their videos :)

[@lenny108]

In November the headline was "British Airways Owner IAG (Willie Walsh) Buys Air Europa For €1 Billion". So it seems BA is not about to go bankrupt.......yet.

[@andrejdjordjevic7603]

Now i need someone to tell me why is Felix Argyle on that music stand at 1:40 and more importantly,why is Richard Branson next to it?

[@GrishaGetos]

Change the thumbnail to the first picture you used in the video. I assure this will help its performance.

[@emilyb7867]

1:39 third record on second row 😘😘

[@aleksejdjurdjevic8467]

emily bronheart Felix is in every video. Even the ones from all the way back.

[@michaelnunnery6394]

Unbeknown to BA Virgin always had an ace up their collective sleeves. Virgin managed to stay one step ahead thanks to Sir Freddie Laker.

[@AbcdEfgh-sq2tf]

I hope this could be the same for Air India in the future

[@shashankinguva7271]

I have applied to your internship program. Please select me. If I am selected just let me know what I should do in the intern

[@johngledhill2970]

He did what Freddie Laker, sadly, was unable to do.

[@christoohunders5316]

Virgin also benefited from Laker's dismay, you should mention it.

[@bennusf1]

I'm more of a BA fan, but I still greatly respect VA for becoming as big as BA so quickly

[@rigvedgirkar7817]

@@pinned_akshverma2201 you are fake

[@cancelled_user]

Next video: Experian / Equifax / TransUnion

[@AHSANALI-tb3hs]

So BA is no different than the Royal British Navy or British East India Company. Not surprising at all

[@door-to-doorhentaisalesman2978]

Brandson was like Elon Musk of the boomer generation.

[@moeediftikhar4233]

Could you make a video on INEOS chemicals group

[@hamilton_reacts]

Richard Branson will never fall down again cause he is powered by Dashlane Password Manager.

[@tomsmall1244]

I would love to see you guys do a video on the business history of the WWE.

[@Sierraomega1991]

BA IS ABOUT TO HAVE THE LAST LAUGH

[@parthnigam916]

Why ?

[@katharineho8142]

It's it Thursday already?

[@johnnytsang2047]

Now that he's rich, Branson is doing his own dirty tricks, take a look what he tried to do in Venezuela !