Virgin Atlantic founder Sir Richard Branson plans to remain a major shareholder in the airline as he seeks to find a partner to better compete with British Airways.
He spelt out plans for the carrier in an interview in San Francisco with news agency Bloomberg in the US.
Virgin Atlantic confirmed that a review of the airline’s options was being conducted by Deutsche Bank in December and said then it had received a “number of lines of enquiry.”
The study is believed to include a sale of Sir Richard’s 51% stake.
He said yesterday: “We’ve said we would like to bring in an alliance partner to combat the fact that British Airways is tied up with American Airlines,” he said. “Those discussions are going on. I think we will be able to announce within a few months an alliance partner.
“I will certainly still be extremely involved in the airline, whatever we decide to do, and I will still be a major shareholder. We are in discussions with various people and will see what comes out of it.”
Sir Richard declined to say what the offers were for or provide any other details. But he confirmed: “We have received offers, but it’s too soon to say more.”
Star Alliance member Singapore Airlines, which holds 49% of Virgin Atlantic, said last month that it had not made a decision about any “immediate divestment” of its stake.
Sir Richard was in San Francisco to mark the opening of a new terminal for Virgin America, the low-fare US airline in which he holds a minority stake.
SkyTeam group members Delta Air Lines and Air France have been tipped as potential partners for Virgin.