A request for information was issued to agencies at the end of last week, with both brands asking for credentials and case studies ahead of a pitch. Creativebrief is handling the process.

Lida was appointed to Virgin Holidays’ £5m direct marketing account in 2012 but stopped working with the brand last year. Virgin Atlantic split with global eCRM agency Naked Communications in November last year after a three-year relationship.

Virgin Holidays awarded  its creative business to Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO in April 2016 after parting ways with Lida’s sister shop M&C Saatchi. Manning Gottlieb OMD has handled media since 2001. 

Adam & Eve/DDB won Virgin Atlantic’s creative account in 2014. The business had previously been with Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R for 20 years. PHD picked up the media brief in 2015.

Virgin Holidays was formed in 1985, a year after the launch of Virgin Atlantic Airways. Delta Air Lines bought a 49% stake in Virgin Atlantic in 2012, but Virgin Holidays is fully owned by Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group.

Virgin Atlantic shook up its marketing department seven months ago after Maria Sebastian left. Reuben Arnold is now the airline’s top marketer. 

Claire Cronin has been Virgin Holidays’ customer and marketing director since December 2014.

Lisa Thomas, the former group chief executive of M&C Saatchi, became managing director and global head of brand at Virgin Enterprises in February last year.

Virgin Atlantic did not respond to a request for comment.