Dec 30th, 2011 at 1:00PM: The last time I saw John DiScala – better known as Johnny Jet -- was at the JW Marriott tour in Chicago. Exhausted from a day long flight from Helsinki I wandered into a journalist's dinner at the freshly opened hotel and saw my old friend sitting among a group of eager young writers and polished senior management. As usual, he was lighting up the room and vivaciously engaging with the ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
RichardBranson posts
Johnny Jet feature premiers on the Travel Channel, January 1st
Dec 30th, 2011 at 1:00PM: The last time I saw John DiScala – better known as Johnny Jet -- was at the JW Marriott tour in Chicago. Exhausted from a day long flight from Helsinki I wandered into a journalist's dinner at the freshly opened hotel and saw my old friend sitting among a group of eager young writers and polished senior management. As usual, he was lighting up the room and vivaciously engaging with the ...Inside Virgin Galactic's Gateway to Space (VIDEO)
Oct 18th, 2011 at 10:30AM:
Yesterday morning, Governor of New Mexico Susana Martinez, Virgin Galactic CEO George Whitesides, and Richard Branson welcomed guests inside Spaceport America to commemorate and christen the spaceport's main terminal hangar facility as the 'Virgin Galactic Gateway to Space'.
Our team on the ground was on hand to capture the festivities, from the opening press conference to the Champagne ...Virgin Galactic christens terminal 'Gateway to Space' (Photos)
Oct 17th, 2011 at 6:00PM:
The Montgolfier brothers had Paris. The Wright brothers had Kill Devil Hills. Today, Richard Branson can officially call the New Mexican desert 'home' for his burgeoning commercial space line.
This morning, Governor of New Mexico Susana Martinez, Virgin Galactic CEO George Whitesides, and Richard Branson welcomed guests inside Spaceport America, to commemorate and christen the ...Maldives in Peril: Richard Branson on impacting climate change
Oct 17th, 2011 at 10:00AM:
I've bumped into Richard Branson a couple times now, in vastly different settings. The first was in the high Arctic village of Clyde River, where he'd come to join his son Sam for a weeklong dogsled expedition. He introduced himself with what he admitted was a weakish pinky-tap, blaming his inability to lift his arm on having rolled an ATV at his African safari camp the week before.
When ...Richard Branson's other island hideaway - in Queensland, Australia -- opens to visitors
Sep 30th, 2011 at 9:00AM:
After snapping up Necker Island in the Virgin Islands for a snip in 1978, Sir Richard Branson developed it into a world-class resort which has hosted the likes of Princess Diana, Oprah Winfrey and Steven Spielberg.
Everyone knows about Necker, but a much better-kept secret is Branson's other tropical island hideaway, this one in the stunning Queensland coastal town of Noosa, which he calls ...Russian firm reveals plans for a "space hotel"
Aug 16th, 2011 at 12:00PM:
The newest hotel plans in development are far out ... literally. Russian firm Orbital Technologies revealed plans for a space hotel at a conference in Moscow this week. The hotel has a predicted 2016 opening, the Daily Mail reports.
Initial data suggests that a five day stay will cost around £100,000, not counting transportation costs of £250,000+.
The "hotel" will be "far ...Exploring Richard Branson's Virgin Oceanic
May 30th, 2011 at 3:00PM: The first time I met Richard Branson we were in the kitchen of a small bed and breakfast in the high-Arctic Inuit village of Clyde River. Taller and blonder than I expected, he was dressed in full cold-weather gear and had just flown in by private plane to join a dogsled expedition. Slightly bemused, he was struggling to figure out how to microwave a cup of tea.
I think of that scene whenever ...
Virgin Galactic releases first "feathered flight" video
May 18th, 2011 at 6:00PM:
Historical implications aside, one of the most impressive and important aspects of Richard Branson's upcoming private space line is its distinct mode of atmospheric re-entry.
Thanks to a breakthrough design by legendary aerospace engineer Burt Rutan, Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo is one of the first craft to utilize a technique known as "feathered flight" to acheive a safer, more stable ...Virgin Blue rebrands as Virgin Australia; launches sexy new commerical
May 10th, 2011 at 2:30PM:
Our friends at AOL Travel speculated on Virgin Blue's new name last week and the airline's new commercial confirms the decision to dub the airline "Virgin Australia." We're not sure what the flying experience will be like, but, judging by the commercial ... we're thinking that people will fly the airline if only for the modelesque flight attendants. Wowza. ...
New SFO terminal brings romance back to air travel
Apr 7th, 2011 at 7:00AM:
It was 1954 when San Francisco International Airport (SFO) welcomed it's first flights. At the time, air travel was a luxurious experience and would-be classic airliners ruled the sky. This weekend, SFO reopens Terminal 2, thought to be the most modern and sustainable terminal in the United States, ushering in a new era of travel by air.
"An airport terminal designed to bring back the ...Richard Branson takes to the sea? Not as odd as it may sound
Apr 5th, 2011 at 2:00PM:
No, we're not talking about Virgin Cruise Line but when billionaire Richard Branson talks, people listen. Last year, Branson unveiled a three-man submarine, the Necker Nymph, capable of going almost 100 feet deep. Today, Branson hinted at more water-related ventures at a southern California yacht club.
Tuesday's announcement at the Newport Harbor Yacht Club on Balboa Peninsula says there is ...Virgin's Richard Branson likes Apple so much, he wants to merge ...maybe
Mar 10th, 2011 at 5:00PM: The word is out - Virgin's Sir Richard Branson loves him some Apple - he even named Steve Jobs as his "favorite entrepreneur."
Sir Richard Branson expressed his admiration for Apple and its founder Steve Jobs, joking that he'd consider merging his Virgin empire with the tech giant, reported TechRadar earlier today.
The publication reported that Branson told TechRadar that the iPad 2 was ...Delta: single large airline looking for Virgin partner
Dec 16th, 2010 at 12:00PM: I hope you haven't become too attached to Virgin Atlantic. The airline has gotten its share of calls lately about potential mergers, but they are qualified with expressions like "early stages" and "far too early" to say anything about. This isn't all that surprising, given the strength of its brand and the fact that the airline hired Deutsche Bank to help it evaluate its available growth ...Exclusive video: inside Virgin America's DFW launch
Dec 8th, 2010 at 5:30PM:
If you've been reading Gadling in the last week, you're probably aware that Virgin America launched their first mid-continent destination just one week ago in the heart of Texas. Now, see what it's like to shake hands with Richard Branson and be on the inside of a Virgin America launch event - bulls, barbecues, bandanas & all.
Special thanks to the W Dallas-Victory, Winspear Opera ...Inside Virgin America's mid-continent arrival
Dec 6th, 2010 at 5:00PM:
I don't think I actually understood the implications of Virgin America's launch into "fortress-hub" Dallas/Fort Worth until we touched down on the tarmac.
As we taxied to our gate, I could see nothing but a endless row of silver fuselages; all adorned with the iconic blue & red "AA" logo. It felt almost as if we were silently making our way through the front gates of a modern-day Troy. ...Virgin America lands at Dallas Fort Worth (Photos)
Dec 1st, 2010 at 5:30PM:
Watch out Dallas; the original maverick has come to town. Today, Virgin America officially kicked off its brand new service from LAX & SFO to Dallas Fort Worth with an inaugural flight & tarmac reception hosted by Sir Richard Branson and Dallas mayor, Tom Leppert.
With live bulls in a pen and a sign that read "Don't fly like cattle", Virgin America made their message very clear; ...Virgin America and Stand Up to Cancer kick off new Dallas service
Nov 18th, 2010 at 12:30PM: Richard Branson is widely known for many things, among them his endless charitable contributions. So, it's no surprise that when Branson's Virgin America wants to make a statement, they enlist the help of one of the top charity groups in the nation.
In an effort to generate awareness for its new Dallas-Fort Worth flights, Virgin America is teaming up with Stand Up to Cancer (SU2C) to encourage ...Richard Branson loses bet; will serve as flight attendant on Air Asia
Nov 16th, 2010 at 5:00PM: For some, losing a bet to your buddies means having to shave your head or paint your face in the opposing team's colors for a day. For Richard Branson, losing a bet means having to dress in drag at 38,000-feet.
The Virgin boss and airline superstar lost a bet to his pal Tony Fernandes, who owns Air Asia, over which one of their Formula One teams would perform better this season. The bet: Loser ...Name Richard Branson's Virgin America plane for charity
Nov 10th, 2010 at 8:00AM: Have a knack for creativity? Always dreamed of seeing your work at 38,000-feet? Now's your chance.
Sir Richard Branson is auctioning the chance for the highest bidder to name one of Virgin America's brand new Airbus A320-family commercial aircraft, all in the name of charity.
Virgin America and it's fearless leader are known for being a little cheeky when it comes to in-flight fun, and the ...First craft lands at Spaceport America (Exclusive Video)
Oct 26th, 2010 at 8:30AM:
The future of travel is one step closer to taking off. Last Friday, Spaceport America officially dedicated its recently completed tarmac by welcoming two craft to land in front of a large crowd of Spaceport officials, future astronauts, and press.
Gadling was on-site to witness history as Virgin Galactic's spaceship VSS Enterprise, carried by mothership White Knight II, made a dramatic ...
