Not yet off the ground, Virgin America debuts first Airbus

First, understand that the government still hasn’t yet given the green light for Virgin America to take wing, but that doesn’t mean the San Francisco (SFO)-based discount airline is just standing around waiting for the sky to open up.

The carrier planned to roll out its first A320 today (Wednesday October 11). The name is unforgettable: Jefferson Airplane. The carrier decided to name the twinjet after the rock band that galvanized the San Francisco Bay area in the mid-1960s with such hard rock classics as Somebody to Love.

Whether Virgin America will galvanize air travel out of SFO remains to be seen. It’s embroiled in a dispute concerning what kind of ownership stake foreign investors can have in a U.S. airline. Some U.S. carriers - notably Continental Airlines - strongly oppose Virgin America’s entry into the market.

The City of San Francisco manifestly does not. San Francisco International would love to have a discount airline call the West Bay aerodrome home. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsome says: “This airline will be an important contributor to San Francisco’s future growth.”

In contrast to cross-bay Oakland International Airport (OAK), where discount airlines JetBlue and Southwest Airlines hold sway, San Francisco is disproportionately underserved by low-fare carriers.

If, as expected, a governmental go-ahead is forthcoming, Virgin America says it will launch A320 service from SFO early next year. First flights out will be to New York Kennedy (JFK).

© Cheapflights Ltd Jerry Chandler