Virgin Atlantic Names Corneel Koster as New CEO Effective January 1, 2026

The Virgin Atlantic Board announces its succession plan for the airline’s Chief Executive Officer, Shai Weiss. After a successful seven-year tenure, Shai will step down as Chief Executive and leave the airline on December 31, 2025. Corneel Koster will take over as CEO on January 1, 2026.

Corneel rejoined Virgin Atlantic in 2019 as Board Member and Chief Customer Officer and expanded his role to Chief Customer and Operating Officer in 2020. He has been key in ensuring the airline runs a safe and reliable operation and in delivering Virgin Atlantic’s excellent customer experience. During his time on the leadership team, he significantly contributed to bringing the airline out of the pandemic while leading the introduction of the A330neo aircraft.

With over three decades of leadership experience, Corneel has held various senior operational and commercial roles at Virgin Atlantic and its partners such as Delta Air Lines, Aeroméxico, and KLM. From 2010 to 2013, he served as Director of Operations, Safety, and Security at Virgin Atlantic.

Ed Bastian, CEO of Delta Air Lines, remarked, “Shai has been a valued partner and good friend to Delta, and I extend my gratitude for his exceptional leadership over the years. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Virgin Atlantic under Corneel’s leadership as we enhance the travel experience in the upcoming years.”

Shai Weiss commented, “I wholeheartedly congratulate Corneel on his well-deserved appointment. He is perfectly equipped to elevate Virgin Atlantic further and ensure innovation for our customers and guests alike.”

Corneel Koster expressed, “It is a tremendous honor to assume the role of CEO. Our commitment is to provide our customers and staff with the best experience possible. I am eager to lead our talented team into this next phase of our journey.**