"The first Virgin Atlantic flight took off for Newark, New Jersey from Gatwick Airport on 22 June 1984. Sir Richard Branson has been in the aviation business for quarter of a century, but he says the last 12 months have been "the most volatile yet in our 25-year history". He said Virgin Atlantic could make it through the downturn but said he suspected first class travel across all airlines would "disappear for good"." (Quoted from video description)