4andCounting

VIRGIN AMERICA SETS ITS SIGHTS ON PUERTO VALLARTA ROUTE
Award-Winning Low Fare Airline Files with U.S. Department of Transportation for Authority to Begin Flying New Route to Mexico this Winter

San Francisco – July 14, 2011 – Today, Virgin America, California’s hometown airline, announces its intent to launch flights from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Puerto Vallarta International Airport (PVR) in Mexico. Virgin America files today with the U.S. Department of Transportation for the authority to fly to PVR and subject to approval from both the U.S. DOT and the Mexican government, the airline plans to begin flying to Puerto Vallarta this winter. The announcement of the Company's third U.S. – Mexico route comes as the low-fare airline has expanded service to Dallas-Fort Worth, Los Cabos, Cancun and Chicago in the past eight months alone.
“We’ve seen a strong demand for travel to our Mexican destinations and we’re looking forward to giving our flyers another world-class leisure option,” said Virgin America President and CEO David Cush. “We’re proud to be growing and offering travelers a very unique flight experience at a time when most airlines are shrinking their schedules and reducing the amenities provided to flyers.”
With top-notch guest service, beautiful design and a host of high-tech amenities, Virgin America has captured a list of industry best-in-class awards in only four years of operation. The airline offers unrivalled value with low fares and innovative features like touch-screen personal seatback entertainment, power outlets at every seat, fleetwide WiFi, mood-lit cabins and custom-designed leather seating with a deeper and more comfortable pitch. The Red™ in-flight entertainment platform offers 30 films, live and premium TV, interactive Google Maps, music videos, videogames, seat-to-seat chat, a 3000 MP3 library, a first-of-its-kind digital Shop section and an on-demand menu — so guests can order a cocktail or meal from their seatback any time during a flight.

Virgin America has captured a string of industry best-in-class awards, including “Best Domestic Airline” in Condé Nast Traveler’s 2008, 2009 and 2010 Readers’ Choice Awards, best-in-class in the 2008, 2009 and 2010 Zagat Global Airline survey and recently won “Best Domestic Airline” in Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards for the fourth consecutive year. Earlier this year, the airline also took top honors for “Passenger Service” in Air Transport World’s Industry Achievement Awards and “Best Low-Cost Service” and “Best Staff Service” among North American competitors in the 2011 World Airline Awards.

Since its launch in August 2007, Virgin America has created 2000 new jobs and grown to serve multiple destinations across North America. As one of the few growing U.S. airlines, Virgin America continues to expand its fleet, growing from its current 39 aircraft to a projected fleet of 52 aircraft by mid-2012. The airline will add 500 new jobs on annual basis and expand to two-to-three new destinations per year over the next several years.

Virgin America flies to San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Washington D.C., Seattle, Las Vegas, San Diego, Boston, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Dallas-Fort Worth, Los Cabos, Cancun and Chicago.

XDriverX

I love PVR! Good to see expansion is still going strong. I could do without the DME arc to the ILS in severe clear though. How abbout direct to the numbers and lets call it a day!!:-)

Fishfreighter

Good plan. Mexico traffic is so weak, everyone else is redeploying elsewhere.

cmrflyer

Oh good. Another Virgin thread, better write something, anything, come on stupid brain think.

Phew, another bit on drivel, that should keep me going for an hour or two.

Fishfreighter

Just stating the facts. Sorry if they run counter to the Kool-Aid.

Spooledup

If everyone else is redeploying elsewhere, I guess that would explain our strong loads to and from Mexico.

Fishfreighter

The only thing that would explain that is ultra cheap fares. I guess you haven't been keeping up with the news how dangerous Mexico is these days. Most of the tourists have, however.

Columbia

What are the yields?

4andCounting

I don't have specific yield info but with a 21 day advance purchase in the slowest month of the airline year. A one way ticket can be bought between $174-271 (refundable vs. Retricted fares) main cabin on Virgin. Alaska is charging $263 one way, fully refundable, for the same dates. These don't include any bag, airport, taxes or fuel surcharges. So I don't know if it really says anything about yield but its the same distance from sfo to cun as it is from sfo to ord. Maybe someone with better knowledge of our costs can derive something from that.

Godzilla

Just ask the controller for a visual approach.
Usually cheerfully granted.