Until February 21, travelers arriving at Gate 7 at PSP will enjoy a chic take on the traditional airport gate that includes late 1960s era lounge chairs with matching ottomans, tables, Lucite lamps and more.
SAN FRANCISCO – Virgin America announces that its upscale, low-fare seasonal service from San Francisco to Palm Springs is being expanded to a year-round flight schedule. Virgin America first launched its nonstop service to Palm Springs in 2011 from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and added service to John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) the following year. In addition, Virgin America also launches a unique live exhibit at its gate at Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) in partnership with Modernism Week, an annual festival that highlights the region’s mid-century modern design history and community. Together, Modernism Week and Virgin America teamed up to recreate a vintage mid-century airport gate experience – in a nod to the golden age of flying, Palm Springs’ design roots and Virgin America’s own stylish in-flight experience.
“As the only airline headquartered in California, we know that Palm Springs is a popular destination for our loyal Bay Area flyers – and couldn’t be more pleased to be expanding our seasonal SFO-PSP schedule to year-round service,” said John MacLeod, Senior Vice President of Planning and Sales at Virgin America. “Our stylish, design-driven flight experience is a perfect match for travelers headed to the Desert Oasis. This latest expansion reflects strong demand within California in particular and is a testament to the success of our service in the market to date.”
Until February 21, travelers arriving at Gate 7 at PSP will enjoy a chic take on the traditional airport gate that includes late 1960s era lounge chairs with matching ottomans, tables, Lucite lamps and more. In addition to offering a stylish welcome to Palm Springs, the airline is also encouraging its guests to don their mid-century throwback finest. Those who post a photo by February 21 with the hashtag #LetModFly, will be entered for a chance to win a complimentary upgrade on a Virgin America flight.
“The City of Palm Springs is absolutely delighted that Virgin America will now fly to and from Palm Springs year-round,” said Mayor Robert Moon. “Virgin America’s stylish flights have been incredibly popular with sophisticated travelers visiting this region. Also, this is reflective of the fact that Palm Springs is now a year around destination. Therefore it is not a surprise there is more and more demand for flights to our legendary City of Palm Springs, which truly is like no place else.”
Virgin America and Modernism Week’s interactive vintage modern exhibit was designed by Marc Joseph of the Wonderama vintage furniture and art boutique in Palm Springs. The gate exhibit will also include a custom-made backdrop by Los Angeles artist, Nat Reed, who is renowned internationally for his interpretations of the “Familiar Modern.” Reed’s last show, “Post-Fabricated, Reimagining the Already,” was a highlight of Modernism Week last year.
Palm Springs and the other cities that make up the region, including Desert Hot Springs, Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, La Quinta, Indio and Coachella offer streets lined with palm trees, the best in shopping, art galleries and museums and outdoor dining – all amidst breathtaking scenery. In addition to luxury resorts and world-class golfing, the region has welcomed an influx of hip boutique hotels and landmark events like the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. Palm Springs has a history as the holiday home of many Hollywood stars from the 1940s on – and is known as the center of “Desert Modernism” mid-century modern architecture.
Photo caption: Virgin America also kicks off Palm Springs Modernism Week with a mid-century modern exhibit at its Palm Springs Airport gate (PRNewsFoto/Virgin America).
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
