Virgin America is a new U.S. budget airline that expects to begin flying in 2007. The airline’s stated aim is to provide low-fare, high-quality service. Virgin America’s plans to begin operations have been delayed by the United States Department of Transportation. Virgin America plans to start selling tickets early in the summer of 2007 with flights beginning later that summer.
San Francisco International Airport will be Virgin America’s principal base of operations. The airline has announced it intends to offer service to six cities (San Francisco, New York-JFK, Los Angeles-LAX, San Diego, Las Vegas, and Washington-IAD) within the first nine months of launch.
Beyond the initial San Francisco to New York service, Virgin America plans to add Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Diego and Las Vegas within nine months of operation. Virgin America has also issued a long list of other possible future destinations, saying it plans to serve up to ten destinations within a year of operation, and thirty destinations within five years.
