Richard Branson: 'I Don't Deserve to Be Alive Today'

Oct. 9, 2007 — -- Those who are only vaguely familiar with Richard Branson should listen up -- he says he's going to revolutionize the way Americans fly.

As of today, Branson's Virgin America airline is now operating flights between five American cities.

"This little baby Virgin, the American guy tried to make sure it never started," said Branson. "We've had four years to try to get it off the ground, and today, we're finally on our way.

"I don't know if you've ever flown in an American airline," Branson said. "Well, I suspect it was pretty dismal. It's generally not very good. It's those kind of situations where Virgin likes to go and make a difference."

"Nightline" spent the day with Branson at the Virgin Music Festival, a steamy outdoor concert at a racetrack outside Baltimore, where Branson was greeted like a bigger rock star than the ones on stage.

For some, Branson's influence in today's culture is already well recorded. Many know about Virgin Mobile's cheap cell phones, or the $100,000 he gave to search for little Madeleine McCann. Branson also spoke out when his good friend Steve Fossett went missing in the Nevada desert this summer.

Richard Branson is -- by his own doing -- one of the most visible moguls in the world. But what else makes Branson tick? And how did he amass nearly $4 billion in net worth?

"I still sometimes wake up in the morning, my eyes are closed and think, 'I had the most incredible dream,'" said Branson. "It's reality, and it's too much for one person to have the amount of experience I have."

It was one of the most in-your-face drug-addled punk rock bands that helped Branson build his empire. The Sex Pistols got Branson's record label noticed back in 1977.