Virgin America Teams Up With Google Chrome™ to Offer Free In-Flight WiFi Over the Holidays

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 8, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Virgin America, the first airline in the U.S. to offer fleetwide WiFi in the skies, today announces it is teaming up with Google's Chrome browser team to offer free Gogo® Inflight Internet for all its guests during the holiday season.  The two California companies known for innovation, entrepreneurialism and for connecting people in new ways have come together for the second consecutive year to give Virgin America flyers the gift of in-flight connection during the holiday travel season.  From November 20, 2010-January 2, 2011, guests on all Virgin America flights will be able to check email, stay in touch with family and friends via social media, or just go wherever the web takes them – all for free.  Today, Virgin America is also offering flyers one more seasonal gift: a sale on its award-winning flights, with "byte-size" fares from $39* short-haul and from $109* long-haul, restrictions, taxes and fees apply.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090123/VIRGINAMERICALOGO)

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090123/VIRGINAMERICALOGO)

"As the only airline based in Silicon Valley, in-flight WiFi has been popular with our guests since we launched it on our first aircraft in November of 2008," said David Cush, President and CEO of Virgin America.  "Both business and leisure travelers are logging on at a growing rate, and many travelers consider the availability of in-flight WiFi one of the key factors in their booking decision.  We saw a jump in the number of guests logging on after last year's free WiFi gift and we expect to see an increase again.  Once people try WiFi at 35,000 feet they rarely go back." 

Virgin America is the first airline in the U.S. to offer both standard power outlets near every seat and fleet-wide WiFi.  Launched on its first aircraft in November 2008 and rolled out to its entire fleet by May 2009, the airline sees up to one-third of guests on some long-haul flights logging on to Gogo.  Although guests traveling on any of Virgin America's flights from November 20, 2010-January 2, 2011, will enjoy free web access via their laptops, PDAs, or iPads, Gogo is normally available for $12.95 for flights of over three hours; $9.95 for flights between 1.5 and three hours; $4.95 for short haul flights of less than 1.5 hours; and handheld/PDA pricing of $7.95 for flights over 1.5 hours and $4.95 for short flights.  Monthly passes on Virgin America are also available for $29.95 for laptops and $19.95 for handhelds.

Since launching in August 2007, Virgin America has captured a list of travel industry best-in-class awards, including "Best Domestic Airline" in Conde Nast Traveler's 2008, 2009 and 2010 Readers' Choice Awards and Travel + Leisure's 2008, 2009 and 2010 World's Best Awards.  The airline offers flyers mood-lit cabins, standard power outlets near every seat and the Red™ in-flight entertainment system – the largest and most advanced personal touch-screen entertainment platform in the skies. The Red platform offers 700+ hours of entertainment content, including the ability to build playlists from over 3,000 MP3s, 30 on-demand films, live and premium TV, interactive Google Maps, videogames, seat-to-seat chat, 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 is known for its tech-friendly amenities and stylish design.  In November 2008, Virgin America launched Gogo Inflight Internet on its first flight with a first ever "air-to-ground" video stream to YouTube Live – YouTube's first official real-world user event.   In May of 2009, the airline completed the roll-out of its WiFi service across its fleet and celebrated the milestone with a live streamed chat between Oprah Winfrey in her studio audience and a Virgin America plane at 35,000 feet over the California coast.  In June 2009, the airline also teamed up with Google for the first-ever online and "in the clouds" web-based scavenger hunt, using in-flight WiFi.

For more on the free holiday WiFi initiative, please visit: www.freeholidaywifi.com

EDITORS NOTE: Virgin America is a U.S. controlled and operated airline.  Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group is a minority share investor in Virgin America.

About Virgin America: Headquartered in California and launched in August 2007, Virgin America offers guests attractive fares and a host of innovative features aimed at reinventing air travel, including in-flight internet service on every flight and the most advanced touch-screen entertainment platform in the skies. The airline's base of operations is San Francisco International Airport. In just three years flying, Virgin America has created 1,700 new jobs and has swept the major reader-based travel awards, including "Best Domestic Airline" in the Conde Nast Traveler 2008, 2009 and 2010 Readers' Choice Awards and "Best Domestic Airline" in Travel + Leisure's 2008, 2009 and 2010 World's Best Awards. For photos and more, visit: www.virginamerica.com

*Terms and Conditions

All Main Cabin fares are one-way, based on travel originating from the US, and require a 7-day advance purchase. Tickets must be purchased by 11:59pm PST November 15, 2010. Fares do not include Passenger Facility Charges of up to $9 each way, September 11th Security Fees of up to $5 each way and a Federal Segment Tax of $3.70 per domestic segment. A segment is a takeoff and landing. For international travel, fares do not include the U.S. Immigration User Fee of $7, the U.S. APHIS fee of $5, and the U.S. International Arrival/Departure tax of $16.10 each way. For service to/from Toronto, fares do not include additional taxes/fees of up to $50, including: Airport Improvement Fee, Canadian Security Fee, Goods and Services Tax, and Harmonized Sales Tax. For service to/from Mexico, fares do not include additional taxes/fees of up to $60, including: Mexico International Departure Tax and Mexico Tourism Tax. Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable. Travel must occur between November 15, 2010 and February 15, 2011, unless specified otherwise. For LAX-DFW service, travel must occur between December 1, 2010 and February 15, 2011. For SFO-DFW service, travel must occur between December 6, 2010 and February 15, 2011. For LAX-CUN service, travel must occur between January 19, 2011 and March 16, 2011. For SFO-CUN service, travel must occur between January 20, 2011 and March 16, 2011. Blackout dates are November 24, 2010; November 27-29, 2010; December 17-18, 2010; December 23-24, 2010; December 26, 2010; December 30, 2010; January 2-3, 2011; February 18, 21, 2011. Lowest fares are available for travel on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Higher fares are available for travel on other days of the week. Seats are limited, subject to availability, and may not be available on all flights. Flights may not operate daily. Mexico service subject to government approval. Changes or cancellations can be made for a $75 fee if changes are made on Virgin America's website (www.virginamerica.com) or a $100 fee through all other channels, including the call center and at the airport, plus any increase in fare, if applicable. Changes or cancellations of a booking made with Elevate Points will be subject to a $75 redeposit fee. Guests who no-show without a change or cancel prior to the scheduled departure time will forfeit the amount of this fare.  In addition, any future flights booked in the same reservation will also be canceled and the fare will be forfeited. Tickets purchased from Virgin America through our reservation call center will cost an additional $15 per guest per itinerary. Any added cost associated with purchasing tickets from Virgin America through our reservation call center will be non-refundable. Fares will not be honored retroactively or in exchange for any wholly or partially used ticket. Fares, routes, fees and schedules are subject to change without notice. Virgin America will accept one (1) piece of checked baggage up to 70 pounds for $25 for each ticketed guest traveling within the U.S. and for free of charge for each ticketed guest traveling to/from Mexico or to/from Canada. The fee per guest for each additional checked bag up to 50 pounds from the second (2) to the tenth (10) is $25. Additional fees apply to baggage exceeding these weight limitations, and other baggage restrictions may apply.

SOURCE Virgin America

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