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CNN Live At Daybreak
Virgin Air Offering Custom-Made Suit Service
Aired June 23, 2003 - 06:43 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Time for some business buzz right now, and who better to create buzz than Sir Richard Branson, the colorful head of the Virgin Group.
Let's go to Carrie Lee at the Nasdaq market site for the latest on tailor-made service at Virgin Air.
Good morning -- Carrie.
CARRIE LEE, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Carol.
Well Virgin is already very well known for its high service levels. And now people flying out of Heathrow Airport, and then soon to be expanded to other locations, are going to be able to have a custom-made suit measured and then delivered to them wherever they're traveling in the world. So Richard Branson really upping the ante here. Executives who visit a Virgin business class lounge within an airport can now get more than just a gin and tonic.
Now the suit is going to be delivered anywhere they are in the world. People can -- the passengers can choose the cloth and style of the suit. It will be fitted in about 20 minutes by young female tailors. Now this is part of a joint venture between Virgin and Dress to Kill (ph). This is, believe it or not, a traveling tailor company that exists. So Richard Branson upping the ante once again -- Carol.
COSTELLO: How much do they cost?
LEE: I guess it depends on the type of cloth and the style that you - that you choose. Probably not too cheap, because most people flying Virgin obviously are business travelers.
Now also, this is happening as British Airways rejecting Richard Branson's latest bid to purchase five of its Concorde planes for about $9 million U.S. Mr. Branson had made a previous offer. He's now upping the ante in terms of money here, but British Airways rejecting this saying no, we're going to retire these planes as planned in October.
Mr. Branson had wanted to fly these jets in routes to New York, Barbados and Dubai, but it looks like people will only have a few more months to travel three hours on a transatlantic trip because these planes will be retired, Carol, as planned.
COSTELLO: Understand. Quick look at the futures before you go -- Carrie. LEE: Futures look lower, actually, this Monday. We don't have a lot of economic news today, but of course we have the two-day Federal Reserve meeting starting tomorrow. A lot of people certainly waiting to hear what Fed chief Alan Greenspan and his team decides to do on the interest rate front. We'll get that decision on Wednesday. Also readings on consumer confidence. Quite a bit more economic reports coming later in the week, but so far looking a bit lower this Monday.
COSTELLO: All right. Carrie Lee, many thanks, live from New York this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired June 23, 2003 - 06:43 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Time for some business buzz right now, and who better to create buzz than Sir Richard Branson, the colorful head of the Virgin Group.
Let's go to Carrie Lee at the Nasdaq market site for the latest on tailor-made service at Virgin Air.
Good morning -- Carrie.
CARRIE LEE, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Carol.
Well Virgin is already very well known for its high service levels. And now people flying out of Heathrow Airport, and then soon to be expanded to other locations, are going to be able to have a custom-made suit measured and then delivered to them wherever they're traveling in the world. So Richard Branson really upping the ante here. Executives who visit a Virgin business class lounge within an airport can now get more than just a gin and tonic.
Now the suit is going to be delivered anywhere they are in the world. People can -- the passengers can choose the cloth and style of the suit. It will be fitted in about 20 minutes by young female tailors. Now this is part of a joint venture between Virgin and Dress to Kill (ph). This is, believe it or not, a traveling tailor company that exists. So Richard Branson upping the ante once again -- Carol.
COSTELLO: How much do they cost?
LEE: I guess it depends on the type of cloth and the style that you - that you choose. Probably not too cheap, because most people flying Virgin obviously are business travelers.
Now also, this is happening as British Airways rejecting Richard Branson's latest bid to purchase five of its Concorde planes for about $9 million U.S. Mr. Branson had made a previous offer. He's now upping the ante in terms of money here, but British Airways rejecting this saying no, we're going to retire these planes as planned in October.
Mr. Branson had wanted to fly these jets in routes to New York, Barbados and Dubai, but it looks like people will only have a few more months to travel three hours on a transatlantic trip because these planes will be retired, Carol, as planned.
COSTELLO: Understand. Quick look at the futures before you go -- Carrie. LEE: Futures look lower, actually, this Monday. We don't have a lot of economic news today, but of course we have the two-day Federal Reserve meeting starting tomorrow. A lot of people certainly waiting to hear what Fed chief Alan Greenspan and his team decides to do on the interest rate front. We'll get that decision on Wednesday. Also readings on consumer confidence. Quite a bit more economic reports coming later in the week, but so far looking a bit lower this Monday.
COSTELLO: All right. Carrie Lee, many thanks, live from New York this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
