VIRGIN AMERICA takes flight

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A new budget airline, Virgin America is scheduled to take to the skies with an inaugural flight from SFO - LAX on Aug 8, 2007.

The new SFO-based airline, jointly owned by Richard Branson's Virgin Group (25%) and US investment company VAI Partners LLC (75%) will operate an all-Airbus A319/A320 fleet on the following routes:

- Service between San Francisco (SFO) and Los Angeles (LAX) begins August 8.
- Service between San Francisco (SFO) and New York (JFK) begins August 8.
- Service between New York (JFK) and Los Angeles (LAX) begins August 29.
- Service between San Francisco (SFO) and Washington D.C. (IAD) begins September 26.
- Service between San Francisco (SFO) and Las Vegas (LAS) begins October 10.
- Service between Los Angeles (LAX) and Washington D.C. (IAD) October 24.

According to their website, the "VA difference" include:
- The first U.S. airline with LED mood lighting.  
- 3000 MP3s onboard every flight.  
- Two 110v outlets per 3-seat row (and one per seat in first class)
- One USB port and one ethernet port per seat. USB can be used with a portable keyboard on seatback console (or to charge your device). Ethernet hooks you into a LAN with the rest of the passengers
- Dual 802.11b WiFi access points in cabin (fore and aft)
- Seat-to-seat chat function on touch-screen
- You can order fresh food when you want it, from the screen at your seat.  
- Red, the in-flight entertainment system, has over 25 pay-per-view Hollywood movies on demand.
- Virgin America is a cashless airline. Place your order, swipe your card, and you’re done.
- 9-inch integrated touchscreen; 1024 x 600 resolution (oh, so close to HD! but not quite)
- Lavatories have their own soundtrack, kind of like those chic hotel

Prices are very competitive with one-way SFO-LAX priced at US$ 44 (incl tax) and one-way SFO/LAX - JFK at US$ 139 in economy; one way transcontinental First Class is priced at $ 349.





Virgin America A319



First Class cabin



First Class cabin



Economy Class cabin - with mood lighting



Touch-screen LCD monitor



Seat-to-seat chatting



Seat-to-seat chat function



3000 mp3 selections



First Class cabin



First Class cabin



www.virginamerica.com


Photos from www.engadget.com