▁intention ▁to ▁form ▁a ▁fourth ▁al liance ▁among ▁Virgin ▁brand ed ▁air lines ▁( V ir gin ▁Atlantic ; ▁Virgin ▁America ; ▁and ▁the ▁Virgin ▁Australia ▁Hold ings ▁group ▁of ▁air lines ). ▁Then ▁in ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁Br anson ▁said ▁that ▁Virgin ▁Atlantic ▁would ▁join ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁existing ▁al li ances ; ▁this ▁idea ▁was ▁repeated ▁in ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 2 . ▁In ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁D elta ▁Air ▁L ines ▁purchased ▁Singapore ▁Airlines ' ▁ 4 9 % ▁st ake ▁in ▁Virgin ▁Atlantic ▁for ▁£ 2 2 4 ▁million . ▁Virgin ▁America ▁was ▁absor bed ▁into ▁Al aska ▁Airlines , ▁which ▁is ▁not ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁any ▁al liance , ▁in ▁April ▁ 2 0 1 8 . ▁ ▁On ▁February ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁it ▁was ▁announced ▁that ▁American ▁Airlines ▁and ▁US ▁Air ways ▁would ▁merge , ▁retain ing ▁the ▁American ▁Airlines ▁name ▁and ▁would ▁remain ▁in ▁the ▁O new orld ▁al liance . ▁US ▁Air ways ' ▁participation ▁in ▁Star ▁Alliance ▁la ps ed . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁in ▁South ▁America , ▁L AN ▁Airlines ▁and ▁T AM ▁Airlines ▁began ▁their ▁mer ger . ▁In ▁March ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁with ▁the ▁mer ger ▁complete , ▁T AM ▁left ▁Star ▁Alliance ▁and ▁became ▁part ▁of ▁L AN ▁in ▁O new orld . ▁ ▁On ▁September ▁ 2 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁the