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There is something about the airline industry that really grabbed me.

I think airlines have been very much parrots. They'll just follow what everyone else is doing. Why change a model that they're happy in? And it takes someone like myself or Richard Branson who comes from outside the industry to say, 'Hey, let's try something new.'

A lot of airlines have come and gone.

I came from the music business, which reputedly has the biggest egos, but I really think the airline world caps it.

I would be lying if I didn't admit sadness that our wonderful airline is merging with another. Because I'm not American, the U.S. Department of Transportation stipulated I take some of my shares in Virgin America as non-voting shares, reducing my influence over any takeover. So there was sadly nothing I could do to stop it.

The airline business is the biggest team sport in the world. When you're all consumed with fighting among yourselves, your opponents can run over you every day.

Airlines are interesting. They not only favor celebrities, they court them.

I've been through a couple of mergers - they're not that fun. And it's easy to lose your focus on this grandiose mission you established for yourself as an independent company.

Typical mergers happen when there are two competitors coming together, and they reduce overhead.

A merger is hard to pull off under any circumstances. It's harder when everybody is against you.