Doing it Virgin [America] Style

The title could be a little misleading, well only for those that have a not so clean mind.  I'm talking about the airline!!! 

I guess I'm going to have to add a new category for this since this is new ... but I just had to share my experience about this airline.  It was about two years since I've heard of Virgin America and back then they were fighting for their chance to fly, they were having some issues with getting approval but luckily they finally got it.

Ever since I've heard about them all I wanted to do was try them out but I wasn't able to get on their flights until this past week.  The reviews and videos I would read just made me want to try them out even more ... here are some of the features that they do have and advertise:

• leather seats
• tv's with directTV channels
• food/drink orders
• first checked in bag free

Ok you're reading that and aren't amazed ... those are the regular things on most if not all planes.  So here are the things that I feel set Virgin America apart from the rest of the airlines:

• mood lighting (no white/yellow lights, they have purple and red lights!)

I wasn't even on the plane yet and just waiting at the gate and could already see the difference. Virgin America just stands out from the other airlines. My niece made it on the plane before I did and she texted me "omg it looks like soul plane" and for those of you who haevn't seen Soul Plane, go watch it, it's hilarious! She was referring to the better part of the Soul Plane, not "low class."

The mood lighting on this airline is really easy on the eyes and it makes it feel like you're walking into a club/lounge. That was the first thought I had when I was walking down the jetway and saw the lights coming out of the cabin doors.

• standard electric socket in every seat (first class or regular)

Who hasn't dreamed or wished for this on the plane?  You don't need those adapters for your electronics to get charged ... or buy those batteries that will last the entire flight.  Here you just plug it in and you're good to go.  So now you're not limited to the two or three hour battery life of your laptop. 

One thing I'm wondering is if I can plug in a surge protector so that I can have multiple plugs to power a few different things ... hmmm would that be something that I would be willing to try and mess around with at 33,000 feet in the air???  Yes I would and I WILL try next time!

• USB port on every seat

Power your Blackberry's, your IPods, and whatever else that has a USB port to charge.  I'm not sure if this works since I forgot my USB cable, but I think if you have a device that has a USB cable and plug it into your seat you might be able to load that into the RED system at your seat.  If it's not in their system now, they should read this and make it happen!

• LAN port on every seat

I didn't get to try this either since I forgot my cable.  But you can connect to the internet with this wired connection, from what I now, not all flights have internet yet, but they will soon.  I'm also wondering if you were to connect wired, would you be able to access the servers and network on the plane and other laptops connected too ... hmmm this would be interesting!  Mile High LAN party!

• food/drink orders done via RED (their system on the touch screen display) at every seat

Ok don't lie when you say that one portion of airline food fills you up.  It never fills me up and I always want more (if the food is good).  So here comes VA, using their touch screen monitors at each seat (or the remote control that's in every seats arm rest) you can do a whole bunch of things through their RED system.  Long gone are the days when the carts come through the isle asking what you'd like to eat or if you want pretzels and peanuts, they only do that one time with the drinks.  Here you can order snacks, meals, drinks, alcohol ... the water is free so you can order as much of that as you want. 

They have sandwiches and some wraps, the wrap was actually really good.  The snacks ... I would recommend the chocolate chip cookies, I couldn't stop eating those!  The drinks, they had a selection of a few teas which were really good too!

So if you're an eater like me ... order away with your credit card, no cash.

• safey video that you will want to watch

It's not your typical video that you see or the flight attendants doing their thing ... but it's a video that keeps your attention

• games via RED

You can ask Dudoy about this ... he was playing some word game where he claims he got the highest score!  But they do have a lot of games you can play and they even have the original DOOM.

• movies and tv shows via RED

The movies are pretty new and look really nice on the screen when you order them.  They were $8 each and the TV on demand were shows that are popular were $1.  The live TV on the plane allows you to join a chatroom where you can chat with others watching the same thing you're watching if that's what you want to do.  One thing is when you are watching a show and want to order food or start a chat, it will bring the TV or movie in PIP mode and bring it down to the bottom left while you can do whatever else you want without missing your show. 

• free movies on late flights

I'm not sure if this is real, but this was on our flight home.  We took the red eye flight and they had Bolt, Marley and Me and Seven Pounds for free.  They also had all of the TV on demand for free on the trip home.

• chat rooms and chat with other people on the plane

We were chatting it up in our chat rooms once we figured it out ... but one great thing about this is you can chat with strangers.  Say you are sitting in 13C and you see a hot girl sitting in 7D.  Just put her seat number in and start a chat ... but that does not guarantee that she will answer!  She can decline the invite and block you so there is no airline chat stalking here. 

• free wi-fi

This isn't on all the flights yet, but from the reviews I did see with this, some people were even streaming video from the plane live!  It will definitely be interesting to see this in action on a flight I'm on ... I know they restrict some things, but it's only for our benefit (i.e. no VOIP). 

• mp3s via RED

There are a few thousand MP3's here you can select and listen to, not that crap radio that is offered on most flights.

• custom playlists via RED

You can make a playlist of MP3's and also make a playlist of the music videos if you want.  I think that in the future you'll be able to save the playlists and use them on your next flight. 

I could go on and on about all the good things about this airline.  I remember when JetBlue was just starting and how people were saying how great they were, well the same goes for Virgin America, the only thing is that they have added almost ever possible thing you can think of to make your flights more enjoyable!

This was actually one of the first flights going to Cali that I didn't go to sleep because I was to busy playing with everything that was available.  I think I was ordering too much food and playing everything too much that I broke my TV.  Mine actually stopped working, but they were nice enough to offer me free food!  I got my roast beef sandwich and some drinks and pringles! 

I didn't put up any pictures but you can check out www.virginamerica.com/va/vaDifference.do I do however have some video that I should have up by tomorrow.

Their fares are pretty good too, the round trip from NY to LA was $255 ... they also have a nice first class section that has massagers that are built into each chair.  I'll review that when I get a chance to fly first :)

Props to Virgin America and I will definitely be flying with them again.  They have my "best airline award."

+ mon

You Can Never be Overdressed

Today I leave for Cali for Holy Week and I left the house this morning wearing a suit.  My dad saw me and asked me why I was wearing a suit and if I was going to change before the flight.  If you have traveled with me, you know that I like to go on flights as dressy as possible, suit and tie are the max - I'm not wearing a tux.  

It all started when I used to fly standby (buddy passes) and the rules were that we had to wear slacks and a collared shirt.  This was something I had to do when flying Continental and there were times when I ended up wearing a suit and I noticed a difference.  The difference was in service and also the treatment and respect people were giving me.  It was strange but definitely something that I noticed.

It's not a guarantee but I think that being "dressed up" makes it seem that you're more professional and at the same time somewhat "important."  There have been a few times already where my suit has gotten me out of situations or helped me in certain situations when traveling.

One of the rules with traveling standby on a buddy pass that you are not allowed to be upgraded to first class, even though there was the occassional rule bender that would let you.  There was one trip, actually there were three trips where I was wearing the suit and was checking in.  I made it common practice to ask "how's the flight looking" whenever I checked in and would then ask if there was any room in first class.  I would normally get agent who would tell me the rules regarding first class and a buddy pass, but on these occassions the agent looked at me after telling me the rules and made the comment "well you are dressed for first class" and when they handed me the ticket, the seats were in first class.  

Another time I had four friends with me and we were running late to the airport because someone wanted to stop by Goldilocks.  We got to the airport with about 35 minutes before the flight and I dropped them off, then returned the car.  It was alright if they made it on the flight and I got stuck, but when I got back to the airport, there they were sittingo n the sidewalk.  They wouldn't let them check into the flight because there was no checked luggage going into the place within 30 minutes of the flight (this is one reason why I don't check bags in).  The ticket agent had told them that they would have get on the next flight and pay the difference in the price plus a fee.  The total came out to about $400 - $500 for each person.  Here comes Suitman to the rescue!  I went in and talked to the same agent and told them the situation.  He recognized my friends that were outside ... and I waited for him to tell him that there was the $400 per person.  After a few minutes he said that we were all set and I even asked him if there was a fee for the flight differential.  His response to me was "don't worry about it sir, we'll take care of it for you."  

Rushing for a flight, it was only ten minutes before my flight left.  I ran to the terminal and of course there was a long line for the tickets (this was the time where etickets counters didn't exist yet).  I was about to give up and walked off the line to check the next departing flight when a ticket agent came over to me and asked me if I was flying in first class.  I told her that I was not, but she said that she'd help me since it seemed that I was flying first class anyway ... she realized my flight was in ten minutes and escorted me past security all the way to the gate to make sure that I made it in.

So here I am dressed as Suitman again.  Going to the airport and hoping that I will be able to use my powers for good and help those in need.  I don't mind the suit and tie all throughout the flight if it will help in someway or could help if a problem were to come up.  This also works for car rental companies ... as I've gotten many free upgrades and "bonuses" because it was Suitman at the counter.  

We can all be Suitman!  He's inside of us just waiting to come out and use our powers to help us through situations which seem hopeless.  So overdress as you must, and tie that tie, then work your way to first class and past security onto the gate to just make your flight.  

+ mon