Responding to Delta's possible takeover of Virgin Atlantic, Kevin Roose laments the ostensible departure of "the best international airline [he's] ever flown":
A primary reason why flying is so terrible is that, over the past several decades, the airline industry has been undergoing a massive consolidation that has left only a few carriers standing. Less competition generally means higher fares and weaker performance, and the combination of separate airlines into a unified whole introduces a whole host of issues (labor integration, loyalty programs) that can jeopardize the flying experience.
Clive Irving sees a brand mismatch:
Virgin has something that just isn’t in the DNA of Delta. In terms of branding, Delta is analog and Virgin is digital. Virgin has an eye tuned to the tastes of a valuable market, the regular high-end pond-crossers in the media, fashion, and tech businesses. This has always reflected Branson’s own brilliance in playing the role of a business insurgent who offers an alternative to the soul-less service of the big carriers—sassy flight attendants and sexy business-class cabins loaded with gizmos and executive lounges to match.
Virgin loyalists, a clubbish bunch, are already quaking at the prospect of Delta having an influence on this niche market.
The Dish 