The achievements of Sir Richard Branson are quite incredible and can be admired by everyone whether or not they are themselves an entrepreneur.

I found this video and really enjoyed watching this interview with some interesting facts about Sir Richard Branson. Most of us like to know things like how much is Richard Branson worth with his businesses with the Virgin Brand employing around 55,000 people and turning over some $25 billion (£15.7 billion)!

This is a real honest and open interview with Richard Branson and quite amusing at times and shows a real insight into what he is about and I hope it will inspire the readers of my business blog! He is open about both his successes and some of his failures and how he managed to save his airline Virgin Atlantic when things got a little tough with his competitor British Airways.

Richard Branson: Life at 30,000 feet

Gatwick Airport is to be put up for sale by its owner BAA, says BBC Transport Correspondent Tom Symonds.

The move comes four weeks after competition watchdogs said BAA may have to sell three of its UK airports.

Several firms are said to be interested in the UK’s second biggest airport – last week Virgin said it was interested in being part of a buying consortium.

Other potential bidders for Gatwick, valued at £1.8bn by regulators, are said to include MacQuarie and Fraport.

Shake-up

Last week, Virgin Atlantic – half owned by Sir Richard Branson – told the Daily Telegraph it would be interested in being part of a consortium to buy Gatwick Airport.

Its comments came two weeks after the Competition Commission said in an interim ruling that BAA may have to sell three of its UK airports.

Although the Commission does not release its full report until next year, it added that BAA may need to sell two of its three London airports.

BAA ruled out selling Heathrow, which leaves Gatwick and Stansted.

The Civil Aviation Authority has just increased the amount Gatwick – where 35 million passengers passed through in 2007 – can charge in landing fees.

But it is operating on one runway and approaching full capacity.

Our correspondent says it is likely to take months to find a buyer and negotiate the deal.

News reported by The BBC

Sir Richard Branson is launching a campaign to try to block the proposed tie-up between British Airways (BA) and American Airlines (AA).

The Virgin Atlantic boss has already attacked the plans, claiming it would create a “monster monopoly”.

British Airways counters that the proposed tie-up would be good news for both passengers and the wider industry.

A growing number of global airlines are seeking mergers or other forms of tie-ups as they battle high fuel prices.

‘Major battle’

“We are going to wage a major battle to stop the two largest airlines in the world effectively working as one carrier,” Sir Richard told the BBC’s Today programme.

“Allowing the two biggest carriers in the world to effectively act as one…will be anti-competitive.”

British Airways and its US rival are not aiming for a full merger.

Rather, they aim to be able to agree fares, routes and schedules.

Also speaking to the Today programme, BA chief executive Willie Walsh countered that a tie-up with AA would be “great news for the consumer”.

“This is an issue that will be accessed by the competition regulators, the experts in this field,” he said.

BA has tried and failed to form a tie-up with AA twice before, in 1997 and 2001.

Mr Walsh said this time around he was confident the deal would gain regulatory approval due to the increased competition in the airline industry following the Open Skies deal between the US and European Union.

Open Skies – which came into force in March this year – has ended limits on which airlines can fly between the US and Europe.

News reported by The BBC