Virgin Atlantic Moves into New VHQ Headquarter

In September 2016, we opened our new headquarters, known as The VHQ, on Fleming Way in Crawley, West Sussex, near London Gatwick Airport. The move brought Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Holidays employees together under one roof for the first time, creating a shared working environment for teams from both businesses. It also provided an opportunity to modernise our office facilities, improve collaboration and introduce more flexible ways of working. Designed by London-based architecture and design practice PENSON in collaboration with our in-house design team, the new headquarters provided approximately 110,000 square feet of office space. The open-plan interior featured a prominent red staircase connecting three floors, alongside shared meeting areas, informal workspaces and facilities for employees to meet and collaborate. The design was intended to encourage interaction between departments while giving employees greater choice over where and how they worked. Environmental performance was also considered in the development of the building. The VHQ achieved an Excellent rating under the BREEAM 2011 assessment scheme and incorporated features including LED lighting, heat-pump technology and a building management system. The relocation was expected to improve operational efficiency and reduce office-related costs, while providing a working environment better suited to the needs of both businesses.