Tag Archives: N528VA

Virgin America’s pilots vote to join ALPA

Virgin America‘s (San Francisco) pilots have voted to join the Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA).

ALPA issued this statement:

The National Mediation Board (NMB) has announced that the pilots at Virgin America voted overwhelmingly in favor of representation by the Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA).

Of the 95.7 percent of eligible pilots who voted, 75.3 percent voted in favor of joining the world’s largest pilot union, showing their commitment to collective representation.

“ALPA is very pleased to welcome our colleagues at Virgin America,” said Capt. Tim Canoll, ALPA president. “Today, our union is stronger. ALPA is poised to ensure that Virgin America pilots will gain a stronger voice for their future and, together, we will continue to advance our profession.”

Photo Above: ALPA.

The focus for Virgin America pilots now shifts to the membership drive and establishing pilot representatives in each base, and starting the work to negotiate their first collective bargaining agreement.

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A319-112 N528VA (msn 3445) taxies to the runway at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Virgin America aircraft slide show:

Virgin America signs an interline agreement with Japan Airlines

Virgin America (San Francisco) has announced a new interline agreement with Japan Airlines (JAL) (Tokyo) offering travel on the networks of both carriers across their respective North American and Asian routes. Virgin America has grown to 18 destinations, a fleet of 52 new aircraft and more than 2,600 teammates since its launch in August 2007. In addition to the new JAL agreement, Virgin America has interline agreements with Virgin Australia Airlines, Virgin Atlantic Airways, Air New Zealand, Emirates Airline, Korean Air, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific Airways, South African Airways, El Al Israel Airlines, QANTAS Airways, China Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Air Pacific.

JAL offers daily service from Virgin America’s home base San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Tokyo-Haneda (HND) and daily nonstop service from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) – a focus city for Virgin America – to JAL’s hub at Tokyo’s Narita International Airport (NRT), where travelers may connect onward to most major cities in Asia including Bangkok, Beijing, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Seoul, Shanghai, and Taipei. In addition, JAL serves Narita from Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) and New York’s JFK. Both airlines will transfer baggage between connecting flights to guests’ final destinations.

Virgin America flies to San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Washington D.C. (IAD), Seattle/Tacoma, Las Vegas, San Diego, Boston, Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood, Orlando, Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Cabos, Cancun, Chicago, Puerto Vallarta, Palm Springs (seasonally), Philadelphia, Portland (Oregon) and – as of August 14, 2012 – Washington D.C.’s Reagan National (DCA).

Top Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum.

Virgin America:

JAL:

Bottom Copyright Photo: Akira Uekawa.

Alaska asks DOT for review of Virgin America

Please click on photo for full view and caption.

Alaska Airlines (Seattle/Tacoma) has once again called for a Department of Transportation (DOT) investigation into whether Virgin America (San Francisco) still qualifies as an “U.S. owned airline”. AS cited a report in the Wall Street Journal on March 9 that stated Virgin America’s U.S. owners (Black Canyon Capital LLC and Cyprus Capital Partners) had exercised their options and sold back the 77 percent share to the Virgin Group (UK). If correct this would make Virgin America a foreign owned airline and thus it could not continue to operate domestic flights. U.S. law requires that at least 75 percent of the voting shares be “owned” by U.S. citizens.