Virgin Atlanta, I mean, Virgin Atlantic, is getting a new CEO…
Corneel Koster replaces Shai Weiss as Virgin Atlantic CEO
Virgin Atlantic has announced that Corneel Koster will become CEO of the airline as of January 1, 2026, replacing Shai Weiss, after his seven year tenure in the role.
Koster rejoined Virgin Atlantic in 2019, as Chief Customer Officer, and expanded his role to Chief Operating Officer in 2020. As it’s described, “he has been instrumental in running a safe and reliable operation, leading frontline teams and delivering Virgin Atlantic’s renowned customer experience.”
Koster has been in the airline industry for three decades, and held senior operational and commercial roles at Virgin Atlantic and its partners, including Aeromexico, Delta, and KLM.
Weiss is credited with steering the company through the COVID-19 pandemic, completing a full transformation, and delivering record performance in 2024. He joined the airline as Chief Financial Officer in 2014, later serving as Chief Commercial Officer, before becoming CEO.
Here’s how Virgin Atlantic Founder Richard Branson describes this management change:
“Shai has done an outstanding job over the past seven years. I’m grateful for his vision, passion and commitment to creating brilliant experiences that have made the airline stronger and raised the bar across the industry. I’m delighted to welcome Corneel as CEO. He embodies the Virgin spirit – bold, curious and ready to shake up the status quo. We look forward to this exciting new chapter.”
Here’s what Virgin Atlantic Chair Peter Norris had to say:
“In the last seven years, faced with exceptional headwinds, Shai has done a remarkable job steering the airline through the pandemic and its aftermath. While we’re sad he’s decided to stand down, he has done an excellent job leading from the front in service of our people, customers and the communities in which we operate, setting Virgin Atlantic on a clear path towards future success.”
“We are delighted that Corneel will be picking up the baton, having been such an integral part of the leadership team. As a true customer champion, he understands what sets Virgin Atlantic apart as we continue to challenge the status quo in the years ahead. We thank Shai for his contribution and leadership, and we wish Corneel and the team every success in this next exciting phase.”
Meanwhile here’s what Corneel Koster had to say about his new role:
“I’ve long held a very special place in my heart for Virgin Atlantic, so it’s an incredible privilege to take up the role of CEO. We’ve always done everything in our power to give our customers and our people the best experience in the skies, delivered with a smile and the special challenger spirit that Richard instilled in us from day one. I’m determined we carry that spirit forward.
“I’d like to thank the Virgin Atlantic Board for their trust and confidence and to thank Shai for his leadership and his friendship. I’m proud to lead our talented teams into our next chapter. We will deliver value for our customers, people, shareholders and the communities we serve, while ensuring that Virgin Atlantic remains the airline that dares to do things differently.”
My take on Virgin Atlantic’s management changes
Let me say that I love flying with Virgin Atlantic, and it’s a fantastic brand with friendly people and a fun vibe. That being said, it’s not exactly a great business, for three primary reasons:
- Being an exclusively long haul airline, with no short haul routes, is kind of challenging in terms of building a proper network
- It’s even tougher to be in this position when your hub is at an airport where you don’t have a dominant position, and you’re number two in the market
- Virgin Atlantic is 49% owned by Delta, and in many ways, the airline almost seems to be run in a way that helps Delta maximize profitability, rather than one that helps Virgin Atlantic maximize profitability (it’s why the airline is often referred to as “Virgin Atlanta”)
We always hear how profitable Delta is, and London Heathrow is such an important aviation market. Despite that, Delta rakes in massive profits, while Virgin Atlantic struggles to break even.
For example, Virgin Atlantic’s “record” 2024 consisted of the carrier earning a £20 million profit, its first time being profitable in many years (the carrier was losing money even before the pandemic).
I’m not too familiar with Koster, though generally I’m a fan of operations and product people leading airlines, rather than just finance people. To state the obvious, product and customer experience people generally care about… the product and customer experience.
Admittedly it’s hard to know how to judge Koster’s performance, since he has been leading product while Virgin Atlantic continues to have uncompetitive herringbone seats in business class on the backbone of its fleet. That will finally be changing in the coming years, and I imagine if he had a choice, he would’ve changed it earlier. But still…
I don’t see Koster’s appointment as doing anything that’s going to rock the boat. I think Virgin Atlantic will essentially continue to operate largely under Delta’s control, with the focus being on serving Delta across the Atlantic, rather than developing a fully independent plan to maximize profitability. At least the airline isn’t appointing someone straight from Atlanta.
I am curious, as I’m not too familiar with the management politics at Virgin Atlantic… I assume that Weiss has been pushed out, and that this wasn’t just him choosing to move on?
Bottom line
Virgin Atlantic has appointed a new CEO as of the beginning of 2026. Corneel Koster, the company’s current Chief Operating Officer, will become the CEO, replacing Shai Weiss. It’s interesting to see a change at the top, though I wouldn’t expect anything to change radically, given that he’s from within the Virgin Atlantic ecosystem.
What do you make of Virgin Atlantic’s new CEO?
