The friendlier skies of Virgin America

For once I was traveling on business – just me!  With no four-year-old to entertain, my first thought was to get my laptop ready so I could get some work done.  WAMP server?  Check.  SVN synced and databases replicated?  Check.  Battery?  Charged.  I was ready for 90 minutes of untethered productive time.  Unfortunately Virgin America ruined my best laid plans.

And I’ve never been happier about an airline since I first flew Alaska Airlines about 20 years ago!

Replacing the monotone safety speech was a fun cartoon with snarky quips, “for the point-zero-zero-zero-zero-one percent of you who don’t know how to operate a safety belt…”  This was not some renegade flight attendant, this was the recorded video playing in the 10-inch touchscrreen in the seatback in front of me.

That touchscreen is loaded: music (free), a movies (mostly $8) and TV shows (mostly $2), food and drinks (similar prices to most airlines) and a modest selection of games (free).  There seem to be a few things still in progress: hit the “read” option – e-books, I assume – and it tells you that feature is not available.  Most interesting is Virgin America’s foray into in-flight social networking; you can start a chat with any seat on the plane.  (And, yes, the parent in me checked that there are parental controls for both games and chat features, though the default setting is to allow both)

From the 300-odd albums, I setup a playlist of of peter gabriel and Radiohead.  Alas, no shuffle, woe was me.  Click the “info” button followed by “journey” for a Google map showing you where you are (we’re following I5, passing just east of Glendale) and fun facts (we’ve got 348 miles to go and it’s 75 below zero outside).  I clicked the drinks button, ordered up a Bombay Sapphire with tonic and ice, zipped my credit card and two minutes later a flight attendant showed up with my drink.

Seeing me typing away on my laptop she pointed out the power outlets near the floor next to my seat.  My battery was fine – I’d fully intended to get some untethered work done, remember?  I’d also brought my own headphones, but they were handing out ones for free to anyone who asked.  They also have in-flight WiFi available which, I assume, is how they get the drink orders to the drink cart while it’s in the aisle.  That’s right, pre-order you preferred poison while everyone else is getting settled and it arrives with the first beverage service.

Back in the golden years of the airlines, they did everything they could to take care of you: free food, free baggage, friendly representatives.  Sure, Virgin America charges for baggage and they charge for snacks and, yes, I realize they have power outlets to help sell their in-flight WiFi ($10 for flights 3 hours or less, $13 if longer) and they make it easy to order a beer or two because they cost $6-8 each.  But they didn’t treat me like cattle, which is how I felt after flying US Airways to Mexico two weeks ago.  And none of their prices were outside the norm.

Alaska Airlines used to give you cookies – good cookies, not cheap Oreo crap – and that, plus excellent service and good prices, set them apart from other airlines.  Nearly 20 years after first flying them I still prefer them to other airlines and I’m willing to spend a few more bucks to know I’ll be treated humanely.

But now they’ve got competition.  Virgin America has just set a new bar that most airlines to fall far short of.

Now, back to work.