Branson is a bit of a media hero, constantly depicting himself as the buccaneering underdog struggling against a hostile establishment, and this is an image which appeals to many (at least in the UK), who will choose a Branson business based in part on that. Just last week, I heard a vox pop soundbite on the radio news where some woman was gleefully praising him on the basis that "everything [Branson] does turns to gold", which is patently untrue on any objective view; I nearly spat out my tea laughing at her ignorance. Add to that the quirky image which Virgin Atlantic has adopted and the fact that the vast majority of passengers by headcount will have no use for the alliance benefits (and probably no use for any benefits) of frequent flyer miles, and you can see the popular market appeal of the airline. But this is reflected in the nature of its business: it seems heavily dependent on leisure travel, and particularly on bookings from the package holiday industry.