Virgin Express was a Belgian low-cost airline that operated scheduled and charter passenger services primarily within Europe. Founded in 1996 after Richard Branson's Virgin Group acquired EuroBelgian Airlines, the carrier was rebranded and repositioned as a budget airline operating out of Brussels. The airline focused on point-to-point routes across Europe, competing in the growing low-cost carrier market of the late 1990s and early 2000s. It operated a fleet of Boeing 737 aircraft and served destinations across the continent from its Brussels hub. In 2006, Virgin Express merged with SN Brussels Airlines to form Brussels Airlines, effectively ending the Virgin Express brand. The merger combined the strengths of both carriers and created a more competitive full-service Belgian airline.