crewmeal
Why couldn't Virgin get their own 320's?
It's about time to market and cost then, also, about testing the market.
If they decided to acquire their own airframes, the lead time would be longer so they will lease them from someone else. They have obviously struck a deal with EI but might have done a deal with any carrier or leasing agent anywhere in the workd that had the right machines available for the time and price wanted. Those machines might have had any of a 100 different airline colours on them - or be plain white.
The flights will be Virgin Little Red, operated by someone else - just as, if you fly British Airways internally in South Africa, the machines are owned and operated by Comair for BA. In both cases, the responsibiity for everything lies with VS or BA as the case may be.
If things go well, they might well purchase their own machines, or they might buy the ones of EI - it does not matter. The colour of the paint on the outside does not always belong to the name painted alongside.
You might send a parcel by Royal Mail but they might sub-contract another company to transport the parcel part/all of the way. If there is a problem - then R.M. have to sort it. [pun intended
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