VirginAmerica Announces New Services Ex PHL

Full page advertisement in the local newspaper today regarding VA’s plans to begin offering non-stop service to/from LAX or SFO and PHL.

virginamerica.com/

Good luck, as they keep chasing smaller markets with long stage lengths that can’t be fare stimulated as easily, their performance will suffer even worse. At least I think they’re planning an appropriate frequency level for this route.

That being said, they really don’t have many other options other than quitting. They’re playing the hand they’re dealt as well as possible given that they already have LCC competition and heavy legacy competition in most of the attractive routes for them, that their product requires long stage lengths to be attractive, which then drives their fuel costs way up, and the fact that they can’t expand any more out of JFK (or anywhere else in NYC for that matter) due to lack of slots.