This announcement by VA management just shows there is nothing left in the locker. They have fired their last shot. I know many people in Virgin most of whom went through this same anxiety in 2001 but at the end of the day why should the government become a a partner in an airline owned by overseas interests? All the arguments about 10,000' people being out of work and the drain on the tax payers etc. were exactly the same when 16,000 staff were without work in 2001. If there is a sound business case for the void to be filled then someone will fill it. The only financial input the government will have is to guarantee the redundancy payments. There is no upside to this and I would hope that there is no-one enjoying the tragedy.