Tag Archives: Airbus A321-253N WL

The last Virgin America Airbus aircraft is repainted

Alaska Airlines formally merged its Virgin America acquisition into Alaska Airlines on April 25, 2018.

The last step in the retirement of the Virgin America brand was the repainting of the Airbus fleet.

The last piece of the puzzle was the repainting of the last Virgin America aircraft, Airbus A321neo, registered as N922VA at Victorville, CA.

Over the weekend it was repainted in Alaska’s livery. On June 2 it was ferried from Victorville back to the San Francisco base.

Today N922VA is flying from San Francisco to Boston. An era ends.

Top Copyright Photo: Virgin America Airbus A321-253N WL N922VA (msn 7639) LAX (Michael B. Ing). Image: 940209.

Virgin America aircraft slide show:

Wow Air shuts down and ceases all operations

Wow Air today has announced its has ended all operations and all flights are cancelled.

The carrier was unable to come to an agreement with any other party, including Indigo Partners and Icelandair.

The company originally started operations on May 31, 2012 using other carriers.

The airlines issued this statement:

End of Operation of WOW AIR

Information for WOW AIR passengers

WOW AIR has ceased operation. All WOW AIR flights have been cancelled.

How will I reach my destination?

Passengers are advised to check available flights with other airlines.

Some airlines may offer flights at a reduced rate, so-called rescue fares, in light of the circumstances. Information on those airlines will be published, when it becomes available.

What are my rights?

Passengers whose ticket was paid with a credit card are advised to contact their credit card company to check whether a refund of the ticket cost will be issued.

Passengers who bought their ticket from a European travel agent (within the European Economic Area) as a part of a package tour (a package which includes flights and accommodation or other services) are protected by the Package Travel Directive. Those passengers are advised to contact their travel agent to arrange an alternative flight.

Passengers who may have bought travel protection, or those passengers whose credit card terms may include such protection, may be entitled to claim compensation and assistance due to delays or travel disruption. However, such compensation is often limited.

Passengers may also be entitled to compensation from WOW AIR, including in accordance with European regulation on Air Passenger Rights. In case of a bankruptcy, claims should be filed to the administrator / liquidator.

Route Map:

Top Copyright Photo: Wow Air Airbus A321-253N WL TF-DTR (msn 8085) LGW (Antony J. Best). Image: 945644.

Wow Air aircraft slide show:

Wow Air announces $99.99 transatlantic routes from Montreal

Wow Air has made this announcement:

Wow Air is offering travelers departing from Montreal’s YUL airport fares as low as CAD $99.99* to a number of European destinations, for travel between March and May 2019.

Montrealers can now book affordable flights to Reykjavik, Brussels, Berlin, Dublin and London in time for major events and celebrations taking place in spring 2019.

*Based on lowest one-way fare booked on wowair.ca for travel between March and May 2019. Includes all taxes, fees and carrier charges. Restrictions and baggage fees apply. Available on select flights, only when booking round trip flights. Subject to availability. Lowest advertised fare is exclusive to MyWOW members.

Top Copyright Photo (all others by the airline): Wow Air Airbus A321-253N WL TF-SKY (msn 7694) BWI (Tony Storck). Image: 939133.

Wow Air aircraft slide show:

Wow Air chooses Vancouver as its next Canadian destination

Wow Air is expanding its Canadian services by opening a new route in Vancouver.

Starting in June 2019, there will be six weekly flights out of Vancouver International Airport (YVR).

Vancouver’s scenic skyline and seawall (CNW Group/WOW air)

The new route will be operated with Airbus A321neo aircraft.

Top Copyright Photo (all others by Wow Air): Wow Air Airbus A321-253N WL TF-SKY (msn 7694) YYZ (TMK Photography). Image: 938921.

Wow Air aircraft slide show:

Wow Air adds new seasonal service to Orlando

Wow Air continues to extend its North American growth by announcing a new route from Orlando International Airport (MCO) to Keflavik International Airport (KEF). The inaugural flight will take-off before the end of the year on December 18, 2018.

Orlando is the airline’s 14 U.S. destination and service from MCO will be offered seasonally from December through the end of April, three days a week.

To celebrate the launch of the new route, WOW air is offering $99 one-way fares from Orlando to Iceland (KEF) and $149 one-way fares from Orlando to London (LGW), Frankfurt (FRA), Edinburgh (EDI), Dublin (DUB), Paris (CDG), Copenhagen (CPH), Stockholm (ARN), Brussels (BRU), Berlin (SFX) and Amsterdam (AMS). Travelers looking to travel beyond Europe can purchase $399 one-way flights to New Delhi (DEL) from Orlando. The special fares will be available for travel between January and March 2019 when booking a round-trip ticket.

Copyright Photo (all others by Wow Air): Wow Air Airbus A321-253N WL TF-SKY (msn 7694) LGW (Antony J. Best). Image: 942606.

Wow Air aircraft slide show:

Alaska Air Cargo grows service 40% across North America with Airbus aircraft

Starting tomorrow, Alaska Air Cargo expands its cargo lift capacity by 40 percent in the continental U.S. by utilizing the 71 Airbus aircraft that became part of the Alaska Airlines fleet as part of its merger with Virgin America. Alaska Air Cargo will utilize the belly space in these aircraft to provide customers with new shipping destinations and increased frequencies throughout the Alaska Airlines system.

With millions of pounds of new aircraft capacity from coast-to-coast, customers can ship everything from fresh seafood to e-commerce purchases and other time-sensitive materials. Before the merger, Virgin America did not provide cargo service.

Alaska Air Cargo serves 93 destinations offering customers reliable cargo services and the competitive advantage of Alaska Airlines broad and enhanced flight network.

In addition to increased belly load capacity, Alaska Air Cargo recently upgraded their fleet to include three 737-700 retrofitted freighter aircraft. With the addition of a dedicated all-freighter fleet, Alaska Air Cargo provides reliable scheduled and drop-in service for 19 communities across Alaska; connecting them to the cargo hub in Seattle.

Alaska Air Cargo transports more than 170 million pounds of cargo annually—including seafood, mail and freight —and operates the most extensive air cargo operation on the U.S. West Coast of any passenger airline.

Alaska Airlines is now redeploying the ex-Virgin America aircraft to other non VA markets and routes.

According to Airline Route, Alaska is now assigning the Airbus fleet to the following routes this summer:

A319
Los Angeles – Chicago O’Hare
Seattle/Tacoma – Las Vegas
Seattle/Tacoma – Portland OR

A320
Los Angeles – Los Cabos
Portland OR – San Diego
Portland OR – Seattle/Tacoma
San Diego – Los Cabos
San Jose CA – New York JFK
Seattle/Tacoma – Austin
Seattle/Tacoma – Burbank
Seattle/Tacoma – New York JFK
Seattle/Tacoma – Orange County
Seattle/Tacoma – San Jose CA
Seattle/Tacoma – Washington Dulles

A321
Los Angeles – Chicago O’Hare
Los Angeles – Washington Dulles
San Francisco – Boston
Seattle/Tacoma – New York JFK

Top Copyright Photo: Alaska Airlines Airbus A321-253N WL D-AVXY (N928VA) (msn 8246) XFW (Gerd Beilfuss). Image: 942212.

Route Map:

Alaska Airlines to take the next step in the retirement of the Virgin America brand

Alaska Airlines made this announcement on its blog:

As of April 25, you will:

Check-in using one website (alaskaair.com).
Use one mobile app (Alaska’s).
Call one call center (Alaska’s).
Look for Alaska flight numbers.

At the airport, check-in takes place at Alaska’s ticket counters and kiosks. Regardless of where you’re flying, you’ll head for Alaska gates.

On the night of April 24, we’ll complete physical changes at 29 airports around the U.S. and Mexico that are served by both Alaska and Virgin America. The only branding and signage will now be for Alaska Airlines. Signs and screens will all change to Alaska branding at curbside locations, lobbies, ticket counters, gates and baggage areas. While there will be some Virgin America painted aircraft still flying for a period of time after April 25, tickets will be sold only under the Alaska name.

Alaska Airlines and Virgin America are now one airline – and with our regional carrier Horizon Air – we’re one family, all under the Alaska name and brand. Whether you’ve flown on Alaska for years, or on Virgin America, or you’re new to us – we’re proud to be your West Coast airline with great service, low fares and generous mileage awards.

Like most things at Alaska, we do things a little differently – with you in mind. Even when it’s things you don’t see.

As you can imagine, fully integrating two airlines takes time. We’ve already started painting some of Virgin America’s Airbus planes in Alaska colors. In the fall, we’ll begin installing new interior cabins in these Airbus jets. (For a period of time, a guest may board an Airbus plane with an Alaska exterior and a Virgin America interior). It’s expected to take until the end of 2019 for the completion of a single brand experience on all Alaska aircraft.

Our journey continues – painting airplanes, upgrading cabin interiors, installing satellite Wi-Fi and launching new food onboard. We’ll keep offering flyers the good stuff, like free texting and movies during flights, incredible people and plenty of hometown pride.

Copyright Photo: The repainting of the Virgin America Airbus fleet (Alaska is no longer “Proudly All Boeing”) will take some time. Virgin America Airbus A321-253N WL N921VA (msn 7589) SFO (Mark Durbin). Image: 937921.

Virgin America aircraft slide show:

First Look: Alaska Airlines’ new Airbus A321neo “More to Love” logo jet

Alaska Airlines will soon take delivery of this new A321-251N (A321neo) from Airbus which was previously ordered by Virgin America.

Wearing the test registration of D-AZAH (msn 8126), the new airliner will be delivered as N927VA. The new arrival wears the 2016 “More to Love” special livery which first appeared on Boeing 737-990 ER N493AS announcing the Alaska-Virgin America expanded route map.

Alaska Airlines aircraft slide show (Airbus):

Alaska Airlines introduces its San Francisco Giants logo jet

Virgin America had a long relationship with its hometown MLB San Francisco Giants. Each year they introduced an Airbus A320 Giants logo jet.

As the Giants prepare for the 2018 baseball season, there is now a new Airbus A321 Giants logo jet that has just entered revenue service.

With the takeover and merger of Virgin America, Alaska Airlines is now the operator of the aircraft. Alaska is a new partner with the baseball team.

As previously reported, on September 13, 2017, Alaska Airlines announced the company has signed an agreement to become the official airline of the San Francisco Giants for the next seven years, extending the partnership that Virgin America established with the organization in 2008. To celebrate this partnership and Alaska’s commitment to the Bay Area, the company unveiled the design for an Airbus 321 featuring the Giants logo and team colors that is now flying.

“Our commitment to San Francisco and our Bay Area employees has never been stronger and, as part of that, we’re thrilled to extend the Giants sponsorship for the next seven years,” said Andrew Harrison, chief commercial officer at Alaska Airlines. “As the official airline of the Giants, we look forward to supporting both the organization and fans at the airport and on the field for many years to come.”

“The Giants are grateful to Alaska for recognizing the value we built through our partnership with Virgin America in serving both our baseball fans and airline passengers over the past ten years. We look forward to working with the great people at Alaska to continue enhancing our customers’ experiences both at the park and on the plane through our new and expanded partnership,” said Jason Pearl, Giants senior vice president of partnerships and business development.

The extended partnership features several cobranded elements which will be introduced over the next several months leading into the 2018 season. They include:

An Alaska Airlines customized suite located in AT&T Park’s right field with views of McCovey Cove;
The naming rights to the AT&T Park Club Level which will be called the “Alaska Airlines Club Level” and be updated to combine the look and feel of the airline with the premium level experiences Giants fans have appreciated on this level of the ballpark; and
The new Giants-themed Airbus 321, operated by Virgin America, will feature the iconic Golden Gate bridge in orange across the fuselage with the orange and black Giants logo above the wing and a large black “SF” on the back section of the fuselage.

The Alaska/Giants partnership will also feature many fan-friendly components including:

Alaska in-flight Giants offers;
Special vacation packages for Giants fans through the Giants Vacations program;
Alaska serving as the presenting partner for the Giant Races, which are a series of foot races that include events such as a Half Marathon, 10k, 5k and Kids Race/Family Relay, held in Scottsdale, Sacramento, San Jose and San Francisco and benefit local community groups;
Continuation of the highly popular “Two-For-One” Flight Voucher event for the first 40,000 Giants fans attending a Giants home game each season. The first “Two-For-One” event will be this coming Sunday, Sept. 17; and
Alaska will launch a seasonal, twice daily flight from San Francisco to Phoenix, Arizona for Giants fans to attend Spring Training in 2018. The flight schedule is being finalized and tickets will go on sale later this year.

Another important element of this partnership will be the collaboration and support of both Alaska Airlines and the Giants on important community initiatives and programs focused on youth and education throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.

Copyright Photo: Alaska Airlines Airbus A321-253N WL N924VA (msn 7942) (San Francisco Giants) SFO (Mark Durbin). Image: 941105.

Alaska Airlines aircraft slide show (Airbus):

Alaska Airlines aircraft slide show (Boeing, current livery):