Overview

• Virgin Atlantic confirmed that Shai Weiss will step down at the end of 2025, with Chief Customer & Operating Officer Corneel Koster set to take over on January 1, 2026.
• Koster is an internal appointee with prior leadership roles at Delta Air Lines, Aeroméxico and KLM, plus an earlier tenure at Virgin Atlantic from 2010 to 2013 overseeing operations and safety.
• The change follows the carrier’s return to profitability, including a 2024 pre-tax profit of £20 million and record revenue of £3.3 billion.
• Sir Richard Branson welcomed the appointment and praised Weiss’s leadership, while Delta CEO Ed Bastian and Virgin Atlantic chair Peter Norris issued supportive statements.
• Weiss has led the airline since 2019 after joining in 2014 as chief financial officer, guiding it through the pandemic and into recovery.