DIRTY TRICKS – BRITISH AIRWAYS vs VIRGIN

This is a short documentary about how Richard Branson started his own airline
company, and how British Airways tried to stop it…
TASK: Selected Vocabulary. Before you listen, match the words from the documentary
with the meaning. * see examples below.

To infringe on (something) – To take a risk.
To raise the bar – To increase the standard of quality.
An / to endeavour – To destroy (an enemy or threat).
Cross hairs – The effort / motivation to do something.
Roll the dice – The target / to be targeted.
To take down (someone or something) – To enter someone’s territory / trespass
To pan out / something pans out – How something happens over time.

TASK: Listen to the two extracts from the documentary and answer these questions:
1978 – from 2 mins.
1). Were the staff at Virgin Records enthusiastic about Branson going into the airline business?
2). What was the reputation of the airline industry like in the 1970s?
3). How did Branson get around the risk of buying a Boeing 747?

Dirty Tricks – from 4:40 mins

1). What did Lord King think about Richard Branson?
2). British Airways (BA) created the “dirty tricks” campaign to destroy Virgin. Give some
examples of the tactics BA used?
3). How did Branson find out about these tactics?
4). How did Branson fund his legal battle with BA?
5). How much money did he raise?
6). What happened in December 1993?

TASK: Q&A
1). When you travel long-distance, how would you order this list in terms of priority:
Space
Entertainment
Company
Speed
Food
Drink
Cabin staff
2). Would you like to be an airline pilot or cabin attendant? What would be the pros and
cons of this job?
3). Would you like to see more alternatives to JAL and ANA in Japan?
4). Can you remember your worst ever long distance journey? Why was it so bad?
5). How would improve the quality of airline travel?

1. examples
   The fighter planes infringed our airspace.
   Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal raised the bar with their tennis playing.
   After the scandal, the media had her in their cross-hairs.
   If I leave my company, I’ll have to roll the dice and set up my own company.
   Let’s see how the new business pans out before we invest in it.
   A lot of people want to take down Putin.
   He endeavoured to be the best batter in history.