Airline marks new service with uber "Downtown Express" inaugural flight and an in-flight performance by Grammy Award-winning country star.
SAN FRANCISCO – Virgin America, the low-fare, upscale airline, celebrates the launch of its new nonstop flights from Dallas Love Field (DAL) with a special inaugural flight, the unveiling of its new Dallas home and some Texas-sized deals for travelers. Virgin America launches three daily nonstop flights from DAL to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO), and starting on October 28th, four daily nonstop flights from DAL to New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA). With a loyal following of business travelers, the airline recently announced plans to add a fourth daily trip from DAL to DCA, SFO and LAX as of April 2015. The airline will be the only carrier at Love Field to offer three classes of service in these markets – including a First Class cabin and a Main Cabin Select premium economy service – as well as fleetwide WiFi, power outlets at every seat, a full-service food menu, confirmed seating and personal seatback entertainment for every guest. The airline today unveils its unique Love Field gate space and a First Class VIP check-in lounge that mirrors the sleek look and feel of the carrier’s aircraft cabins and is the only dedicated VIP check-in area of its kind at Love Field.
Virgin America is kicking off its new flights by sharing the love with flyers – with 50 percent off Dallas Love Field fares in First Class and Main Cabin Select. To further celebrate its Dallas expansion, the airline is also today offering 20 percent off Main Cabin seats on flights nationwide.
“The lifting of the Wright Amendment is a historic day for aviation – and one that will bring more flights and more choice to Dallas travelers. Thanks to the support of the traveling public and the City, we’re proud to have the opportunity to bring fresh competition to Love Field and to be a part of that story,” said Virgin America President and CEO David Cush. “Virgin America is now offering business-friendly nonstop flights from both coasts to the airport closest to downtown Dallas – a significant expansion of our network and a move that makes this world-class facility our third-largest airport. Our Company is looking forward to growing our roots here– and our teammates, including 70 new faces at Love Field, can’t wait to show our award-winning service to more Dallas travelers.”
Virgin America opens its doors on a stylish new home at Love Field that reflects the airline’s signature design. The airline’s First Class VIP check-in lounge is located adjacent to its new Love Field ticket counters, and will give First Class guests and Elevate Gold members an upgraded experience from the moment they arrive at the airport’s convenient downtown location – complete with a dedicated Virgin America VIP concierge to assist with their travel needs. The space extends the airline’s cabin experience into the airport with design elements that include modern furniture pieces selected in collaboration with the Dallas-based design group Corgan – including Cassina Tre Pezzi lounge chairs, an Eames chair and ottoman and Foscaraini “Twiggy” floor lighting. The Love Lounge is also enclosed by a LED-lit divider wall by Molo Design. The airline’s ticket counter will offer user-friendly and modern white kiosk check-in tables with touch-screen panels and a concierge desk look-and-feel. Virgin America’s new gates also received the “Virgin” treatment, highlighting the brand’s British roots with a classic red London phone booth and art photography capturing moments in Virgin brand history through the decades – from Virgin Records to Virgin Galactic.
“We’re pleased to welcome Virgin America to Love Field and to see them increase their presence in Dallas. Virgin is known for its unique service and their new flights will serve our growing base of Dallas business travelers, as Love Field’s proximity to the metropolitan area makes it a convenient choice for travelers heading to the West and East Coasts,” said Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings.
Virgin America is marking its last flight from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and first flight into its new home at Dallas Love Field with the “ultimate Uber ride,” a “Downtown Express” flight available to Uber customers as the ultimate on-demand pick-up for those who want to beat the cross-town traffic and check out the Virgin America experience on the way to the airport most convenient to downtown Dallas. The flight will be hosted by Virgin Group Founder, Sir Richard Branson, and include a live acoustic performance by Grammy Award-winning country music star, Kacey Musgraves. Upon arrival at the airline’s new home at DAL, flight guests, including Dallas city leaders, will be greeted with a champagne toast and the airline will be giving away Uber rides to 300 lucky travelers at Dallas’ Love Field. The festivities at the airport will be followed by a star-studded red carpet evening fete at House of Blues Dallas. A “moodlit” Uber vehicle that recreates the airline’s moodlighting hits the streets of Dallas today – and locals who catch a ride in the Virgin America-branded wheels will score an invitation to the airline’s evening bash.
“We are excited to take part in this historic day for transportation competition in Dallas,” said General Manager for Uber Dallas, Leandre Johns. “Business and leisure travelers alike deserve fresh choices – like Virgin America and Uber. Competition brings higher quality and lower cost options, which benefits residents and visitors to Dallas.”
Last month, Virgin America asked flyers to “share what they love” in support of a good cause with a digital promotion that pledged $5 for every social share to the Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP) Dallas-Fort Worth schools’ first- ever music program. As a result, Virgin America is contributing $25,000 today to the brand new music and rhythm program for underserved kindergarteners and first grade students in Dallas. KIPP students will be among those welcoming the airline’s first DAL flight.
Virgin America’s service is tailored to the modern business traveler, making it a perfect fit for Dallas-based and Dallas-destined travelers choosing to fly from Love Field’s central location. The airline has been named the “Best Domestic Airline” in Conde Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards for the past six consecutive years and in Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards for the past seven consecutive years. The airline was also named Travel + Leisure’s “Best Domestic Airline for Food” this year. In April, the airline was ranked as the top U.S. carrier in the Airline Quality Rating, an annual study measuring on-time rates, guest satisfaction and other key metrics conducted by Wichita State and Embry-Riddle University. With mood-lit cabins, fleetwide WiFi, custom-designed leather seating, power outlets, personal touch-screen entertainment platforms, confirmed seating and new, quieter aircraft with three classes of service, Virgin America has attracted a loyal following of business travelers for its “office in the sky” amenities. In addition to a Main Cabin that offers custom-designed leather seating with a deeper, more comfortable pitch, the airline’s First Class cabin offers plush white leather seating with 55 inches of pitch, 165 degrees of recline and lumbar massagers. The carrier’s Main Cabin Select service offers 38-inches of pitch, free food and cocktails, an all-access pass to media content, dedicated overhead bins and priority check-in/boarding. The Red in-flight entertainment platform offers guests their own seatback touch-screen TV, with more than 20 films, live TV, Google Maps, videogames, a 3,000 song library and an on-demand menu, which allows flyers to order a cocktail or snack from their seatback any time during a flight. Virgin America’s airport lounge – The Loft – is located at LAX and its Elevate frequent flyer program offers no black-outs or restrictions on rewards seats with three levels of status including Elevate Gold and Elevate Silver. Virgin America’s current ‘Feel the Earn’ offer gives Elevate members the ability to earn three times the points on First Class bookings, two times the points on Main Cabin Select, and up to an additional 25,000 bonus points for all flights in all cabins. In addition to the ‘Feel the Earn’ promotion, the airline is offering new Elevate members 7,500 bonus points once they take their first flight, plus an extra 500 points for signing up. Terms and conditions apply.
Since its 2007 launch, Virgin America has created more than 2,800 jobs and expanded its network to include Austin, Boston, Cancun, Chicago, Dallas Love Field, Fort Lauderdale, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Los Cabos, Newark, New York (JFK), Orlando, Palm Springs (seasonal), Portland, Puerto Vallarta, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington D.C. (IAD and DCA). Services from New York’s LaGuardia Airport will begin on October 28, 2014.
Photo caption: Virgin America celebrates touch down at Love Field and unveils new First Class VIP check-in experience.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
