Unions have refused to criticise ‘winning’ Virgin bidder Bain for its plan to axe 3,000 roles and scrap the Tigerair brand.

Virgin has announced it will cut 3,000 jobs and axe the Tigerair brand – making the low-cost airline the country’s first major airline casualty of COVID-19.

Virgin Australia Group’s chief executive Paul Scurrah revealed more than 10 parties have expressed interest in recapitalising the company after it entered voluntary administration on Tuesday morning.

The Transport Workers Union has made a final appeal to the government to intervene to help save Virgin Australia after the business collapsed into administration.