The reason he gets a slating on these forums is because they're largely read by intelligent, well-informed people who don't fall for the hype.
Interesting comment. Of course, nobody in these forums would ever fall for hype right? No designer clothes that were made for next to nothing and sold for an arm and a leg but have a lovely little logo that everyone can see? Nobody has ever consumed a designer drink or brought a record by the 'band de jour'?
Branson is very much a modern businessman. He is aware of how to play the media and knows that the thing which gives him his success is the Virgin brand. I suspect he knew he stood no chance of getting a Concorde, but knew public opinion was against BA retiring the gift horses they received and milked it. Lets face it, Joe public (who admittedly know very little about airline economics), still see BA as the villain of the piece.
...and, when I have travelled on Virgin, I have never felt like an inconvenience to the cabin crew. Now on BA though. . . .