Virgin Atlantic with a UK operating certificate, and will continue to fly under the Virgin brand. In late 2018, Virgin Atlantic were rated 83rd in the world in energy efficiency, behind many of their competitors. Virgin Atlantic's head office, known as "The VHQ", is located on a business park in Crawley, England, near Gatwick Airport and also houses the corporate offices of Virgin Holidays. The company operates several offices and call centres around the United Kingdom, including a large office in Swansea, Wales, which is a base for reservations and sales, baggage claims and tracing, 'live chat' web support and a customer
Virgin Atlantic confirmed that SkyTeam members Air France-KLM and Delta Air Lines had appointed Goldman Sachs to advise them on a joint potential approach for Virgin Atlantic. Etihad Airways was also reported to be considering a deal, and Willie Walsh, chief executive of International Airlines Group, stated that they would be interested in the airline, but only for the lucrative take-off and landing slots it holds at Heathrow Airport. On 11 December 2012, Delta Air Lines confirmed the purchase of Singapore Airlines' 49% stake in Virgin Atlantic for £224 million, with plans to develop a transatlantic joint venture. Regulatory approval from the