The Virgin brand remains in the sky but airplane fares could increase.

British entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson said, “The Virgin name will stay forever... I think Pacific Blue and the other (airlines) they will be rebranded. There's a whole rebranding exercise which is going to be unveiled, maybe even in a month or so, which looks great. I've seen it and I think it's very, very powerful.”

Talks of new chief executive John Borghetti's plans to bring the airline's four brands Virgin Blue, V Australia, Pacific Blue, and Polynesian Blue under one umbrella has led to more speculations that the Virgin name might be axed.

According to Sir Richard, the Virgin name was “100 percent here to stay.” However, Virgin Blue cannot put the Virgin brand on its international airlines because Singapore Airlines, which has a 49 percent share in British carrier Virgin Atlantic, has the right of veto on use of the name by international carriers.

Sir Richard explained the initial change would reduce the group's number of brands to two. “I think the current management of Singapore want to keep it as is,” the airline's major shareholder said. “But one day, I'm sure we'll be able to redress the problems.”

On the US Transportation Department's tentative rejection of the Delta deal and on the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's (ACCC) disclosed opposition to the Virgin Blue Group's alliance with Air NZ, Sir Richard's said, “It's just very, very illogical.”