Virgin Australia Airlines, formerly
Virgin Blue Airlines, is Australia's second-largest
airline as well as the largest by fleet size to use the Virgin brand. Now based in
Bowen Hills,
Brisbane, the airline was co-founded by British businessman
Richard Branson, the founder of parent
Virgin Group and former Virgin Blue CEO Brett Godfrey. It was established in 2000 with two aircraft operating on a single route, and suddenly found itself catapulted to the position of Australia's second airline after the collapse of
Ansett Australia in September 2001. The airline has grown to directly serve 29 cities in Australia from hubs in
Brisbane,
Melbourne and
Sydney, using a fleet of
narrow-body Boeing and Embraer jets; and Airbus and Boeing widebody jets.