At Virgin Atlantic, we’ve always seen ourselves as a challenger—willing to take bold bets that help us stand apart. AI fits that philosophy perfectly. Being a smaller airline compared to our global competitors means we need to find smart ways to offset scale disadvantages. Leading-edge technology gives us that edge.

When we started exploring enterprise AI a few years ago, we took a broad approach—testing, learning, and seeing where the real value lay. Over time, we narrowed our partnerships and went deep with a few select leaders, including OpenAI. The conviction came quickly: we could see tangible benefits day to day, from early pilots to our ChatGPT Enterprise trials.

Once you see the returns—from faster processes to happier people—you can’t ignore it. As a CFO, that makes the investment decision easy.

The clearest wins came from our digital and software development teams. Using AI, we’re writing and testing code faster, shipping features more quickly, and improving customer experience at speed. In aviation, that’s a huge differentiator—whether it’s our mobile app, check-in experience, or loyalty program. Cycle times are shorter, and customers feel that progress.