Virgin America started selling tickets on its website today. The little sister of Richard Branson's Virgin Atlantic, Virgin America is waiting for final approval from the FAA to start service on August 8.
Like Virgin Atlantic, Virgin America will offer low fares and the quirky service Virgin Atlantic customers have grown accustomed to. Their inflight entertainment system, called Red, offers 18 channels of satellite television, pay-per-view movies, music, and video games. Passengers can also order meals using the Red system.
Initial service will be between San Francisco and New York's John F. Kennedy, and San Francisco and Los Angeles International. Within a few months they will start service to Washington Dulles and Las Vegas, and rounding out their first year with ten different destinations.
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Low Fare Airlines
- The rise of low fare airlines is disrupting traditional airlines that charge higher fares.
- In-flight Entertainment
- The demand for in-flight entertainment has created innovation opportunities for airlines to provide customized, digital experiences.
- Online Ticket Sales
- Online ticket sales have disrupted the traditional model of booking flights through travel agents or at the airport.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Airlines
- The airline industry is being disrupted by the rise of low fare airlines and the demand for modernized in-flight experiences.
- Entertainment
- The entertainment industry is innovating to create new forms of content and technology for in-flight entertainment systems.
- E-commerce
- The e-commerce industry is being impacted by the shift towards online ticket sales for flights.
