David M. Tait

David Martin Tait OBE (born September 29, 1947) is a Scottish-born commercial airline executive, brand/marketing consultant, writer and syndicated travel columnist best known for his work as the architect of the Virgin Atlantic Airways business plan and the company’s first employee in North America. During his career, Tait has served in senior executive and advisory positions for a number of airlines and travel-related companies.

David Tait was born in Glasgow, Scotland, the son of William Tait, a textile industry executive and Margaret Tait. He was educated at the Carolside Primary School in Clarkston, East Renfrewshire until age twelve when, with his family, he moved to Yorkshire, England. In Halifax he attended The Crossley and Porter Boys Grammar School until the age of eighteen - holding the position of Deputy Head Boy in his senior year.

After a brief spell working with his father in the carpet industry, Tait relocated to Spain and as he puts it, "stumbled upon the travel business" beginning a lifelong career in the airline/travel industry. Starting out as a Customer Service Trainer for the Thompson /Britannia Group in Mallorca, Spain, he graduated to Destination Manager in Spain, Moscow, Cyprus and Greece. In 1975 he upped stakes to Toronto, Ontario, Canada to work for WardAir, a Canadian Charter Airline, before being recruited by someone he'd first met in Spain, Sir Freddie Laker, to serve as the General Manager for Laker Airways in Toronto. In 1979 Tait moved with the company to Miami, Florida as Vice President, Marketing for the high-profile UK carrier’s “SkyTrain” low cost, scheduled services. He stayed with Laker Airways until the company was illegally driven out of business and forced to declare bankruptcy in early 1982. Tait maintains to this day that, "Laker Airways was killed because of its success."

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