Virgin America prepping for takeoff at SFO

BURLINGAME -- After waiting nearly three years for approval to launch a new airline, Virgin America chief Fred Reid isn't fretting about getting a late start on this year's summer travel season.

He's too busy getting the airline ready to fly, from meeting government requirements to making sure pilots have well-groomed eyebrows. Hiring and training employees is on the front burner for the Burlingame-based low-fare carrier. The airline also expects to get a waiver to begin selling tickets later this month for a likely August launch, and is busy shoring up the details for takeoff.

"Hey, we missed some opportunities, but now we just want to make the most of it," said Reid, chief executive of Virgin America and a former president of Delta Air Lines. "The delay means more people know about us, andwe're launching with a lot of brand recognition."

Some 75 new pilots, flight attendants and customer service reps were hired one day in early June, not long after the government approval to fly May 18. With that approval, Virgin America becomes the only major California-based airline in about 20 years. It aims to launch as a key player in the market for flights between the West Coast and East Coast. It will face significant competition at its San Francisco International Airport base from both low-fare carriers and legacy carriers such as United Airlines and American Airlines.

New employees rolled through an orientation earlier this month that included a catered barbecue, tours of the new Virgin airplanes and presentations on brand values and airline industry economics. In a large waiting room for new employees, there was a showing of the comedy "View from the Top," starring Gwyneth Paltrow as a flight attendant trying to get a job at a new airline.

There were plenty of laughs over the movie, and the mood of the newly-hired appeared upbeat and relaxed.

The second day of orientation was called "Spa Day" and included manicures, pedicures and free haircuts.

"We're hiring people for attitude, and encouraging them to bring their personality with them," said Todd Pawlowski, senior vice president of airports and guest services for Virgin America.

The initial orientation focused on the spirit of the airline and the importance of customer service, Pawlowski stressed. Complicated, technical training was left for later.

The airline's brand recognition is part of the reason Virgin America didn't take off earlier. The U.S. Department of Transportation and many U.S. legacy carriers were concerned about the foreign ownership interests of British billionaire Richard Branson. He owns a 25 percent stake in Virgin America and also owns Virgin Atlantic Airline, a successful carrier in the European market. Branson has also started record stores and music labels under the Virgin name.

With the green light to fly, there's no panic in the air at Virgin America's headquarters in Burlingame along Highway 101. People are focused, and the airline is busy complying with the Transportation Department requirements to assure that the airline is only 25 percent foreign-owned, a U.S. law.

Already, the Virgin America flair is coming to the surface.

For example, there were makeup people at the orientation. Some pilots were "getting their eyebrows done," said Frances Fiorillo, senior vice president of people and in-flight services.

There will be plenty of pizazz on board, too. A chat room for passengers who want to talk back and forth will be available on the airline's state-of-the-art entertainment systems.

Soft, elegant seats that perform massage, mood lighting, a cornucopia of music and movies, Internet access, and easy laptop plugins will also be available.

Virgin America will launch its first flight from SFO to New York City's John F. Kennedy Airport. Los Angeles, San Diego, Las Vegas and Washington, D.C., service is planned in the months ahead.