Virgin America Joins ARC and Expands Sales and Distribution Reach

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Virgin America today announces it will join ARC to extend the award-winning airline's ticket distribution capabilities by leveraging ARC's technology solutions and network of affiliated travel agencies.  The move will transition the carrier to industry-standard electronic ticketing, in order to expand its sales reach within United States and Caribbean travel agent channels.  The transition will roll-out sequentially with each Global Distribution System (GDS), beginning with Worldspan in February of 2011. The airline anticipates full participation with Apollo/Galileo, Sabre and Amadeus to be enacted by spring of 2011. As an ARC participating carrier, Virgin America will extend its reach into travel agent channels, supporting the airline's revenue growth and overall customer experience.   Travel agents can visit the following Web site for information:  http://www.virginamerica.com/vx/travel-agents

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090123/VIRGINAMERICALOGO)

"We are extremely pleased to join ARC," said Diana Walke, Vice President of Planning and Sales at Virgin America.  "ARC's advanced technology products will ensure travel agencies have greater access to Virgin America's flights, simplify our businesses processes and increase our guest satisfaction."  

"We are delighted that Virgin America chose to employ an e-ticket solution.  This decision will provide them access to the world's single largest travel agency market to continue to grow as one of the most innovative carriers in our industry," said Mike Premo, ARC's Vice President of Business Development.  "Our agreement with Virgin America also supports our commitment to offer ARC's more than 14,000 travel agencies access to the world's leading airlines.  We welcome Virgin America to our growing family of low-cost carriers."

Since its 2007 launch, Virgin America has created 1,800 new jobs, welcomed more than ten million guests and captured the major reader-based travel awards, including "Best Domestic Airline" in both Conde Nast Traveler's 2008, 2009 and 2010 Readers' Choice Awards and Travel + Leisure's 2008, 2009 and 2010 World's Best Awards.  The growing airline has recently expanded to new destinations, including Dallas-Fort Worth on December 1, 2010, Los Cabos on December 16, 2010 and Cancun on January 19, 2011. Last week, the airline ordered 60 new Airbus A320 aircraft for delivery starting in 2013, including 30 of the A320neo aircraft – the first commercial order for the new eco-efficient engine option.   With that growth and growth from other sources, Virgin America's fleet will more than triple in size – from its current 34 aircraft to 111 aircraft by 2019. As the only airline based in San Francisco, the airline's growth helped make San Francisco International Airport (SFO) one of the nation's few growing airports in 2008-2009.  In spring of 2011, the airline will become the anchor tenant at SFO's new Terminal Two facility.  

Virgin America offers outstanding guest service and beautifully designed cabins with a host of high-tech amenities and entertainment choices at every seat.  In addition to fleetwide WiFi, mood-lit cabins and standard power outlets, the airline offers guests the most advanced personal touch-screen in-flight entertainment platform in the skies.  Virgin America flies to San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Washington D.C., Seattle, Las Vegas, San Diego, Boston, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Dallas-Fort Worth, Los Cabos and Cancun.  

About Virgin America:  Headquartered in California and launched in August 2007, Virgin America employs over 1800 people.  The airline's base of operations is San Francisco International Airport.  Virgin America offers in-flight internet service on every flight and hosts the largest in-flight entertainment library in the North American skies via the Red™ platform.  In addition to a 30-film library including foreign language films and Hollywood blockbusters, Red offers live TV, games, seat-to-seat chat, 3,000 MP3s, Google maps, a digital Shop platform and an on-demand menu – so guests can order a cocktail or a meal right from their seatback touch-screen at any time during a flight.  In just three years flying, Virgin America was named "Best Domestic Airline" in the Conde Nast Traveler 2008, 2009 and 2010 Readers' Choice Awards and "Best Domestic Airline" in Travel + Leisure's 2008, 2009 and 2010 World's Best Awards.  For photos and more: www.virginamerica.com

About ARC:  ARC is a technology solutions company providing transaction settlement and data information services. Airlines, travel agencies, corporate travel departments, railroads, and other travel suppliers processed $77.4 billion in 2010 through ARC's world-class settlement system, making it the financial backbone of travel distribution. ARC COMPASS®, the leading, trusted source for travel transaction information, powers data and analytical tools that help ARC customers make confident business decisions. For more information, please visit www.arccorp.com.

SOURCE Virgin America