Virgin America update

CXRules · Post by **CXRules** » 23 Feb 2006, 15:04

Virgin America Inc. is about to hire the first of roughly 100 pilots it wants to add in 2006 as the startup airline continues preparations to start flying this year.

The airline said it will begin by hiring six pilots. Those six need to be veteran flyers because they will help Virgin America as it seeks necessary regulatory approvals. Virgin America said it is reviewing pilot resumes and will make job offers around March 1. Training will start in April.

Even as it prepares to hire pilots, Virgin America must get separate approvals from the Federal Aviation Administration and U.S. Department of Transportation before it can start carrying passengers.

From the San Francisco Business Times

heathrow · Post by **heathrow** » 24 Feb 2006, 05:10

can't wait to see them in the air. I don't have high hopes for them though. Thanks for the update. They are planning a fleet of A320's, correct?

fokker_f27 · Post by **fokker_f27** » 24 Feb 2006, 19:38

Correct, Heathrow:
https://www.alaskaair.com

ryanCX · Post by **ryanCX** » 25 Feb 2006, 20:40

Is it an LCC?

I'm not really sure if it makes economic sense to be launching a new airline in America when most of the airlines are struggling and making losses in the domestic market? I mean, surely even Mr. Branson can't pull that off.
What routes are they looking to fly btw?

bkonner · Post by **bkonner** » 26 Feb 2006, 02:40

jan_olieslagers,

We Americans refer to ourselves as Americans. No one else in North American refers to themselves as such. The USA and American essentially are synonymous.

Bill

website-info · Post by **website-info** » 26 Feb 2006, 10:40

and the first aircraft delivered to Uncle Sam land on Friday as N621VA,

passed thru Memphis onto someplace on the West Coast,

Rgds
T

Captain · Post by **Captain** » 26 Feb 2006, 12:53

ryanCX wrote: I'm not really sure if it makes economic sense to be launching a new airline in America when most of the airlines are struggling and making losses in the domestic market?

You do have a point, but then again: Virgin America will be brand new airline and won't have a history of debt and aggresive cost/job cutting like the established airlines.

Richard Branson and his partners in this project do have a lot of market experience and would have decided a while ago not to launch the airline if it wasn't going to be profitable. Their aim may be to re-open routes that other airlines are closing/abandoning due to cost cutting and a reduction in routes to focus on fewer more profitable routes.

History has proven many times that when times are hard, certain people always manage to make money. Time will tell...

n5528p · Post by **n5528p** » 26 Feb 2006, 17:31

bkonner wrote:We Americans refer to ourselves as Americans. No one else in North American refers to themselves as such. The USA and American essentially are synonymous.

I think you exactly pointed out what Jan meant

Regards, Bernhard

heathrow · Post by **heathrow** » 26 Feb 2006, 20:07

I Have to say I LOVE Virgin, but I do not have high hopes for Virgin America. I do not expect them to last very long. It'll be another royal or jetsgo.

ryanCX · Post by **ryanCX** » 26 Feb 2006, 20:34

Captain wrote:
ryanCX wrote: I'm not really sure if it makes economic sense to be launching a new airline in America when most of the airlines are struggling and making losses in the domestic market?
You do have a point, but then again: Virgin America will be brand new airline and won't have a history of debt and aggresive cost/job cutting like the established airlines.

Richard Branson and his partners in this project do have a lot of market experience and would have decided a while ago not to launch the airline if it wasn't going to be profitable. Their aim may be to re-open routes that other airlines are closing/abandoning due to cost cutting and a reduction in routes to focus on fewer more profitable routes.

History has proven many times that when times are hard, certain people always manage to make money. Time will tell...

Not sure if that's enough
They won't have the labour dispute but they also won't have the market presense the existing players do.
Plus, they'll have a very small network... not very appealing to the business travellers. and I'm not sure if the Virgin brand has the same appeal in the USA (jan, to me US and America are the same) as it does Europe and UK.
To be honest, I think problem can be rooted to the sector as whole. Some of it post p/11 trauma, the rest simply the fact that American carriers, never known for their quality have their passengers having to face paranoid (to some it would be cautious, so please pardon my selection of words) requirements and rising fuel cost isn't helping one bit. So, passengers are paying higher cost for shittier service both in air and at the airport. If I were an American, I wouldn't be too thrilled about flying.
But as I too am not a specialist, I can be very wrong. How have the traffic figures been for the US domestsic market since 2001?

fleabyte · Post by **fleabyte** » 01 Mar 2006, 18:19

they will fail because they ordered A320's

I personally will not fly them unless no other choice.

CXRules · Post by **CXRules** » 25 Apr 2006, 15:40

Another delay

http://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/20 ... irgin.html

earthman · Post by **earthman** » 25 Apr 2006, 17:05

n5528p wrote:
bkonner wrote:We Americans refer to ourselves as Americans. No one else in North American refers to themselves as such. The USA and American essentially are synonymous.
I think you exactly pointed out what Jan meant

I am unsure how to call them else. United Statesians? Apparently this is what Canadians and Mexicans suggested.. See answers.com.

bkonner · Post by **bkonner** » 26 Apr 2006, 02:39

Well, you know since we Americans elected George Bush President you could call us idiots! (could not resist! By the way, I'm from the bluest of blue states!)

Bkonner

Knight255 · Post by **Knight255** » 26 Apr 2006, 04:44

Well, you know since we Americans elected George Bush President you could call us idiots! (could not resist! By the way, I'm from the bluest of blue states!)

It's sad huh. :cry2: By the way, what state are you from?? I think Virgin America is getting into the wrong market. We are already plagued with overcapacity problems, and they are just adding fuel to the fire.

CXRules · Post by **CXRules** » 26 Apr 2006, 15:15

More update on Virgin America:

http://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/20 ... evade.html

blrBird · Post by **blrBird** » 28 Apr 2006, 06:36

Why USA does not allow foreign ownership of airlines like Aus or Sin? This country being the most capitalist!

n5528p · Post by **n5528p** » 29 Apr 2006, 11:48

blrBird wrote:Why USA does not allow foreign ownership of airlines like Aus or Sin? This country being the most capitalist!

Why should they? In the end it is about power and it does not make sense to allow other people to get your assets. You only talk about fairness when it supports your interest.

Regards, Bernhard

Aviation24.be

Virgin America update

Virgin America update

fatal error