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 ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
Virgin posts
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 ...Virgin America launches real-time deals with Loopt
Sep 27th, 2011 at 12:30PM: Virgin America, the airline that always seems to be on the cutting edge with in-flight entertainment and passenger satisfaction, is launching a new initiative to keep customers happy before they even board their flight. Virgin America's new program "VX Deals on the Fly" has it teaming up with the mobile check-in company Loopt to offer deals at the airline's hub at San Francisco International ...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 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. ...
Virgin America's flight for Chicago challenge
Apr 25th, 2011 at 1:30PM:
In May, Virgin America will begin flying to Chicago O'Hare from Los Angeles and San Francisco. To celebrate their service to an airport traditionally dominated by legacy carriers, Virgin is rolling out a social media contest to entice travelers to "put the smack down on everyday air travel."
The contest invites Chicagoans to submit a photo or video via the Virgin America Facebook fan page ...Tickets for Richard Branson cross-dressing flight now on sale
Apr 21st, 2011 at 12:30PM:
Sometimes we make bets that we that regret. While losing money makes for a hum-drum story, tales of the wealthy gambling away dignity at 38,000 feet provides a new level of intrigue. Virgin's Richard Branson and AirAsia's Tony Fernandes made such a bet last year over Formula 1 racing. Since both individuals not only captain airlines but also back F1 teams, the wager pitted Branson's Virgin ...Space Travel Update: Texas, Virgin and the Federation
Apr 13th, 2011 at 9:00AM:
Space travel for all of us is slowly becoming a reality as legislators weigh in, job postings go up and the future begins to unfold before our eyes. Just a day after the 50th anniversary celebration of the world's first human spaceflight in 1961, the timing could not be better.
Commercial Space Travel got a big thumbs up from the Texas legislature this week as lawmakers approved a bill ...Virgin's future lands at San Francisco's new T2
Apr 7th, 2011 at 2:00PM:
It is not often that you casually glance out of the airplane window and see the future racing up beside you, glistening in the California sun like a joyriding space catamaran. This happened in San Francisco yesterday as Gadling took part in Virgin's latest celebration of innovation. Virgin held an event to toast the evolution of flight as well as the opening of Terminal two at San Francisco ...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 ...Survey reveals hottest flight attendants - Virgin Atlantic grabs top spot
Feb 15th, 2011 at 11:30AM:
A survey by the Business Travel and Meetings Show asked 1000 of its members to pick the "most attractive flight attendants". The results are a mixed bag - as expected, the Asian carriers all scored very well, but top spot for "hottest flight attendants" went to Virgin Atlantic with 53% of the votes.
There are even a few surprises in the lineup - with Aer Lingus coming in fifth, and KLM ...
Virgin America lets loose in Cancún
Feb 1st, 2011 at 9:00AM:
Virgin America just can't sit still these days. In the past two months, they've launched service to Dallas/Forth Worth (and added frequency from both LAX & SFO), placed an impressive order for 60 new A320's (to be delivered starting in 2013), said adiós to Toronto for the time being, and launched service to two cities in Mexico; Los Cabos and now, Cancún.
Everything about ...Virgin America kicks off service to Cancun
Jan 19th, 2011 at 4:30PM:
Dying to get your Spring Break on in style? Then pack your sandals, sunscreen, sombrero and head on over to Virgin America's website to grab some great fares or a chance to win a VIP getaway to Cancun, Mexico.
This morning, Virgin America is launching their service from LAX & SFO to the Mayan Riviera (aka Cancun) and Gadling is onboard to witness the festivities. Remember the Goo Goo ...Virgin America grows, buys new aircraft
Jan 18th, 2011 at 12:00PM: News from the airline nerds yesterday morning was that the brass over at Virgin America was on a secret mission to Toulouse, France, the headquarters of Airbus. The goal? The acquisition of sixty new aircraft for use in the fleet starting in 2013.
Sixty new aircraft! That's a lot of growth for the fledgling San Francisco based carrier, which is good news for us consumers. As they expand through ...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. ...Inside Virgin America's Orlando launch (w/ Photos)
Oct 20th, 2010 at 4:30PM:
I scanned the tarmac from my window seat. No gorgeous models holding Virgin America flags. No extravagant red carpet or cocktail service set out under the inviting Orlando sunshine. No R&B icons, rock stars, or daytime soap actors to pose for the dozens of cameras lined up at the jet bridge.
I thought we might have taxied to the wrong terminal until I saw the undeniable proof that we ...Virgin America launches SFO/LAX to Orlando! (Update: Photos)
Oct 13th, 2010 at 3:30PM:
For all you West Coasters still wondering where California's summer went, now's your chance to break out the sunscreen, fanny packs, and suit up in your classiest tourist garb. This morning, Virgin America officially launched its latest routes from San Francisco and Los Angeles to the 'fun capital' of America; Orlando.
To kick off the route, Virgin America has teamed up with Awkward Family ...Virgin Galactic launcher delayed
Oct 2nd, 2010 at 1:00PM:
We've covered space tourism company Virgin Galactic a lot here on Gadling. What hasn't gotten so much discussion is LauncherOne, a rocket that would take off from the WhiteKnightTwo mother ship, the same ship that carries SpaceshipTwo. While SpaceShipTwo is a space plane that would detach from the mother ship and fly into the high atmosphere, LauncherOne is a more conventional rocket that would ...
