Aer Lingus future
With IAG thwarting VS and buying BD and presumably having to withdraw from the EI codeshare to / from Belfast and Dublin, could EI make an appropriate (merger?) partner for Virgin? VS to take over all long haul with EI feed to their main hub at LHR from DUB, SNN, ORK & BFS and feeding into a secondary hub at DUB from all their European routes? All EI long haul destinations are well-establised VS destinations and thus could benefit from VS marketing power and VS has much more status as a long haul airline anyway.
It would be a bit of consolation prize for VS in contrast to BD but perhaps more feasible with the addition of Etihad financial muscle?
You wouldn't even have to have a merged brand I suspect.