Virgin America is here

[conman]

Cappy--What's the pay for the check airmen? Thanks for the info.TC


I'm willing to bet it will less than what JB pays and that thousands will apply for the job.........

 

[Mr Hat]

Yes, Richard Branson is a foreigner. I would rather have him as opposed to some rich arab from a country that is not our friend...wouldn't you?

If Branson can do it then so can some rich Arab, The Chinese or anyone else. Its not Branson, it's the precident that it sets. England is our friend now but who knows. Remember the Germans were once out enemy too. I'm not saying anything for or against Virgin America, Branson still cannot have a controlling interest so it isn't REALLY foreign control. It's basically just advertising for his Virgin brand of everything in America. I am not for foreign control, but if Virgin America wants to compete with Southwest head to head as a startup in California (IN IT'S CURRENT, NON-FOREIGN CONTROLLED STATE) then more power to them.

 

[Headfake14]

...just went to their website...doesn't say anything about pilot hiring yet

 

[wms]

Business is business. I believe there are more autoworkers putting together Honda, Toyota, and BMW automobiles in the good ole US of A than there are UAW employees left in Detroit. This is a global economy and so be it, if VA comes to America, there will be no shortage of employees waiting in line to get on there either. If you will sit by and watch the industry pass you by, that's your perogative-- go sell some of those Honda, Toyotas, and Beemers then at your local dealership. Embry-Riddle will graduate plenty to take your place...

Kind of ironic. Many European and Japanese cars are made in the US (close to the market, what a concept) while maintaining quality, and the US auto makers are shipping their jobs to MX. The US auto makers have fallen behind because of inferior design and reliability. So to fix the problem they're starting to make their products where the workmanship and QC is worse.

 

[Cappy]

Cappy--What's the pay for the check airmen? Thanks for the info.TC

I am not sure of the Checkairman pay but CPT is $115.00 to start. I do not have a scale to reference for subsequent years. I think there is stock for the first 100.

 

[Cappy]

Mike, glad to see you are still around. How's the Falcon treating you?

Not Bad! NetJets is an good company with decent benefits. I have irons in the fire other places but for the summer it looks like NJA.

Mike

 

[AA717driver]

Thanks, Cappy. TC

 

[Publishers]

They could go and use Pittsburgh or Columbus where America West was or Dulles where Indie was, or, well you get the idea. There are many ex hubs around. If you really want obscure, how about Columbia where Air South was, or Savannah where Key airlines was, or Indiannapolis where--- you can go on with this forever.

 

[Lou C. Ferr]

I have a stockholder meeting in London. We have IMPORTANT business to discuss there. Real important stuff. Nothing trivial like how to afford food and shelter. Stuff like stock options. It's important.

Don, hope the trip went well. The food over in London's kinda heavy on fat--keep it up, I've been looking forward to seeing you and your buddy Frank for quite some time. I can't promise the climate control down here is as good as what you're accustomed to, though.

 

[HighSpeedClimb]

Federal agency taxis Virgin onto runway

Ruling that application is complete suggests a rapid takeoff
San Francisco Business Times - July 21, 2006
by Eric Young



Virgin America Inc. appears to be inching toward takeoff.
The U.S. Department of Transportation said the startup airline's application to begin flying is complete and "that it contains sufficient information upon which to base a decision."
Virgin America, based in Burlingame, has been seeking federal approval to start carrying passengers since December 2005. The Transportation Department's ruling on Virgin America's application, made public last week, rejects requests by rival airlines to delay the regulatory process.
Rival airlines challenged Virgin America's application, questioning whether the startup is run by U.S. citizens, as required by law, or by British citizen Richard Branson, the billionaire entrepreneur who first conceived of the airline. The Transportation Department action appears to indicate that the question of U.S. control has been settled.
"One would expect that with the ownership questions resolved that Virgin (America) would proceed along the regular course with the DOT of being approved," said Webster O'Brien, a vice president at aviation consultancy SH&E.
There is no guarantee that the Department of Transportation will rule in Virgin America's favor and it is unclear when it will issue a decision. But Virgin America executives said the department's move was a welcome sign.
"It's the first hurdle we needed to cross" with federal regulators, said Spence Kramer, vice president of marketing and communications for Virgin America.
The Department of Transportation said that supporters and opponents of Virgin America's application have until Aug. 2 to submit comments. Then Virgin America has until Aug. 16 to respond. Transportation officials could then issue a decision on Virgin America's future at any time. Virgin America could begin flying later this year or in early 2007, company executives said.
Regulators can still require that Virgin America submit more information. But aviation industry experts said the Department of Transportation "signaled they're going to wrap up this proceeding," said attorney Kenneth Quinn, who helps lead the aviation practice at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP.
Virgin America said it plans to offer low-fare domestic service like Southwest Airlines Co. and Jetblue Airways Corp. and will have a hub at San Francisco International Airport. Virgin America raised $177.3 million from two U.S. private equity firms and Branson. CEO Fred Reid and other Virgin America officials have stressed that while Branson has a minority stake in the airline, the company is under control of U.S. citizens and complies with U.S. law.
Virgin America licenses Branson's Virgin brand name but is not part of other airlines begun by Branson, which include London-based Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd.
Before Virgin America can begin carrying passengers, the airline also must get approval from the Federal Aviation Administration, which is reviewing the airline's safety and training procedures. The FAA approval process is moving forward, Virgin America officials said. That process, according to aviation industry experts, likely will not be as contentious as the Department of Transportation approval process.