Jetblue of the West?

[isitingood]

Virgin America which will be based out of San Francisco is another low cost carrier which is owned by British Entrepreneur Richard Branson. The problem is that by law to be a U.S. airline it must be owned by a majority of (75% of equity) of U.S. Citizens and must be under control of U.S. citizens which is why the DOT will not let the airline get off the ground. The airline has changed things up and resubmitted to the DOT and is awaiting approval.

Virgin America will fly to 6 cities SF,LAX,San Diego, Las Vegas, NY JFK and Washington IAD they expect to expand to 10 cities within the first year and 30 within 5 years including Orlando.

First Class seats will have massage chairs and all chairs will have 9 inch touch screens or inseat handsets in which you can watch T.V., choose from 25 different movies,listen to music, make your own play list,play games,order food from your seat and enter chat rooms where you can talk to anyone on the plane.

 

[mkt]

They aren't the first west coast discounter. Alaska and Frontier came first

 

[ClemsonTigger]

With those kinds of anemities, I doubt that this will be an economy airline. Virgin Atlantic isn't, so I don't know why they would pursue the discount model.

 

[isitingood]

With those kinds of anemities, I doubt that this will be an economy airline. Virgin Atlantic isn't, so I don't know why they would pursue the discount model.

Virgin America has already said they will be an econmy airline

 

[isitingood]

They aren't the first west coast discounter. Alaska and Frontier came first

I never said they were the first but Alaska and Frontier don't have the amenities that this airline will.

 

[isitingood]

With those kinds of anemities, I doubt that this will be an economy airline. Virgin Atlantic isn't, so I don't know why they would pursue the discount model.

This airline has nothing to do with Virgin Atlantic it is completely separate. all of a sudden Jet Blue will start flying out of SF in May.

 

[mkt]

Virgin America has already said they will be an econmy airline

Virgin licenses its name for 2 (well, technically 3) discount airlines worldwide at the moment. Virgin Express based in Brussels offers discount airfares through Europe (although if you want truly cheap airfare in Europe, you do Ryanair), and Virgin Blue/Pacific Blue in Australia/Oceania offers services across that part of the world. They're actually going to add LAX to its destinations soon... and its planes are commonly seen in MCO getting their entertainment systems installed/services at Jetblue's LiveTV service Hangar.

Virgin America is the technical third... just waiting on passenger flights now. For now, it seems that as a source of revenue, they're leasing their planes to Skybus Airlines of Columbus, OH.

 

[cloudboy]

IF this airline gets approved (there's a lot of politics involved and a lot of people out gunning for it), don't expect to think of it as a west coast airline for long. Then again, I suppose you could also say Jet Blue is a west coast, in Long Beach. DO expect it to make an impact service wise, it is likely to be very similar to Jet Blue.

 

[isitingood]

IF this airline gets approved (there's a lot of politics involved and a lot of people out gunning for it), don't expect to think of it as a west coast airline for long. Then again, I suppose you could also say Jet Blue is a west coast, in Long Beach. DO expect it to make an impact service wise, it is likely to be very similar to Jet Blue.

It will be the only airline based out of San Francisco

 

[mkt]

It will be the only airline based out of San Francisco

It will be the only airline based there, but SFO is huge AA and UA territory, and I can hardly imagine either one is willing to give up SFO without a fight

 

[cloudboy]

Also keep in mind Jet Blue is right across the bay in Oakland.

 

[mkt]

Also keep in mind Jet Blue is right across the bay in Oakland.

As is Southwest... and for price points, that's a scarier adversary than Jetblue.

 

[isitingood]

Also keep in mind Jet Blue is right across the bay in Oakland.

JetBlue will also start flying out of SF in May

 

[isitingood]

Virgin licenses its name for 2 (well, technically 3) discount airlines worldwide at the moment. Virgin Express based in Brussels offers discount airfares through Europe (although if you want truly cheap airfare in Europe, you do Ryanair), and Virgin Blue/Pacific Blue in Australia/Oceania offers services across that part of the world. They're actually going to add LAX to its destinations soon... and its planes are commonly seen in MCO getting their entertainment systems installed/services at Jetblue's LiveTV service Hangar.

Virgin America is the technical third... just waiting on passenger flights now. For now, it seems that as a source of revenue, they're leasing their planes to Skybus Airlines of Columbus, OH.

They only leased two planes to Skybus and they are short term leases just in case VA gets there approval they can take the planes back. They have also leased planes to TAM which is based in Brazil.

 

[isitingood]

It will be the only airline based there, but SFO is huge AA and UA territory, and I can hardly imagine either one is willing to give up SFO without a fight

I agree UA and AA won't just give up plus they will have to deal with JetBlue also in a couple of months.

 

[mkt]

alrighty, Virgin America has received tentative DOT approval!

http://www.dot.gov/affairs/dot3007.htm

 

[mkt]

I just submitted 4 names on nameourplanes.com

 

[isitingood]

I submitted two names

 

[OneLuckyMom]

Southwest has also announced they are planning to start up in SFO again, by this fall I think. They say their "issues" with SFO (long delays, expensive fees) have now been resolved.