SOUTH NORWALK, Conn.

Virgin Atlantic Chief Executive Officer Steve Ridgway said British Airways was trying to stifle competition as it considered merging with Australia's Qantas. BA said this week it was thinking of merging with Qantas, where it previously owned 25 percent, before selling out in 2004, The Times of London reported Wednesday. As it simultaneously considers a merger with Spain's carrier Iberia and an expanded alliance with American Airlines, BA's CEO Willie Walsh said he has been vocal about the importance of consolidation in our industry. If we put our network together, we can feed passengers to one another and get to destinations that we cannot get to alone.

By Hugo Duncan, Evening Standard, London Apr. 23--Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Atlantic today called for a major shake-up of the industry following the Open Skies deal.

EIGHTY-YEAR-OLD John Grey has proved a shining example to fellow workers at Virgin Atlantic, the airline founded by Sir Richard Branson.Mr Grey's efforts as head shoe shiner at Virgin's Heathrow airport clubhouse have led to his award of an MBE.

By Richard Blackden Virgin Atlantic Airways, the airline controlled by Richard Branson, may become a target of a investigation by regulators to determine whether airlines are illegally coordinating their fares, Steve Ridgway, the airline's chief executive, said Monday.