News reports say that Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin Atlantic Airways has said that the airline plans to join a global alliance within a year.

“We’ve enjoyed being independent but we think that having some kind of alliance attached to Virgin Atlantic will make us that much stronger,” Branson said. “We’re going to need a big brother to take us through the next 30 years.”

Branson’s Virgin Group owns 51 percent of Virgin Atlantic, the second-largest long-haul carrier at London’s Heathrow airport. Singapore Airlines Ltd. owns a 49 percent stake that it acquired in 2000. Singapore Airlines is a member of the Star Alliance, but Branson has not suggested which alliance Virgin Atlantic might join.