Comments on: Virgin America’s Main Cabin Select

By: Chuck

Chuck — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 23:20:27 +0000

Apparently it’s also one free checked bag. So add $25 to your equation.

By: Virgin America Makes It Harder to Book Higher Fares…Why? at Things in the Sky

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 11:15:36 +0000

[...] in getting rolled out. If you want to learn more, Cranky has two great posts on it – click either here or [...]

By: CF

CF — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 20:47:47 +0000

DCAview – I don’t think that’s the right way to look at it, because you don’t have the option of just paying $50 for the seat anymore. Clearly, people weren’t seeing the value in $50 for more legroom, so they tried to come up with a different model. Will $100 be worth it when you get more legroom and food, movies, priority check-in, etc?

By: DCAview

DCAview — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 18:35:33 +0000

I’m not sure I see the value here for most fliers.

From what it sounds like, you can currently choose an exit or bulkhead seat on Virgin America’s longest flights for $50. With Main Cabin Select, for $100 you’ll get the same seat you can currently get for $50 plus the first class amenities.

For this program to be worth it, then, the included movies, food, and drink have to be worth more than $50.

Maybe I’m wrong, but even if a transcon passenger watches a movie (~$5), eats a meal (~$10), and knocks back a couple of drinks (~$5 each), they still don’t consume $50 worth of first class amenities. I suppose you could argue that the priority check-in and boarding make up the difference, but although I’ve never flown Virgin America, I’ve never noticed their counters and gates to be mobbed with enough people to make priority check-in and boarding worth $20 to $30.

By: Penny

Penny — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 21:59:48 +0000

Dan Powers,

You obviously bought/buy into all that legacy propaganda. VX has licensed the Virgin name, so why on earth would they not use it? Doesn’t that make good business sense? And they never claimed in so many words that they were “not related at all to Virgin Atlantic”. Both have a shareholder in common, and they’ve never denied that. The legacies were hoping to find that Sir Richard owned more than 25%, but the government found that he did not. End of story.

By: eponymous coward

eponymous coward — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 18:11:47 +0000

Uh, Dan, you do realize can redeem US Airways and United miles on Lufthansa, and Northwest miles on KLM, right?

Shoot, on Alaska Airlines, you can redeem miles on British Airways, Qantas, Cathay Pacific, Air France and LAN…

So, yeah. Bogus issue. Next, please.

By: Riker

Riker — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 03:45:13 +0000

Egotistical and arrogant upper management with bloated compensation that doesn’t come close to matching their productivity, and who couldn’t give less than a damn about their customers.

Overworked, surly staff who calling indifferent is a gross understatement. An aging fleet of past generation aircraft lacking the amenities, professionalism service and creature comfort of most foriegn carriers.

Protect US carriers?? Please.

By: bryan SFO

bryan SFO — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 02:29:19 +0000

Dan Powers, that was from way out of left field. I agree we need/needed protectionist policies for the steel industry, but the vast majority of airline jobs aren’t as well-paying as steel industry jobs are/were.

When it comes to the aviation industry, we should be glad when the Korean- and French-owned airlines fly us around. They do a much better job at it. VX has a far better product than UA(the other hub airline at my airport).

By: dan powers

dan powers — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 01:06:35 +0000

Virgin America was denied an operating certificate for several years…because US law prohibits foreign ownership of US-airlines over 25%. One of VX claims during those trials was that they were not related at all to Virgin Atlantic. Now I see that VX customers will be able to redeem miles for flights on that airline…what gives? Korean airlines is flying from LAX to sao paulo, Air France from LAX to london. IF WE DO NOT PROTECT US CARRIERS…we will see them dissapear just like the steel industry, or the boat shipping industry(foreign owned)

By: Oliver

Oliver — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 21:27:54 +0000

Seems to be a nice deal.
Anything to boost some more revenue.
I did think that VX was going to put in a couple more rows of First Class though!