Richard Branson has publicly called for International Airlines Group CEO Willie Walsh to pay up on a bet they made five years ago.
Apparently, shortly after Delta acquired 49% of Virgin Atlantic Airways in 2012, Walsh predicted that Virgin Atlantic would not exist in five years’ time.
Branson, in turn, challenged Walsh to a bet: “If Virgin Atlantic was still flying in five years time, [British Airways] had to give £1 million ($1.31 million) to our staff.” If Virgin Atlantic was no longer flying, Branson would bay British Airways’ employees the $1.3 million.
Walsh countered with another offer: “Branson is a billionaire banker, allegedly. I’m not a billionaire. So maybe a bet that would have as much pain to me as it would to him – a knee in the groin,”
That five year period ends in December, Virgin Atlantic is still flying, and now Branson has publicly called for Walsh to hold up his end of the deal.
IAG’s CEO has yet to respond to Branson’s call for settlement.
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