• Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • About
  • Best Of
  • UNESCO
  • Archive
  • Advertise
  • Contact

Go Backpacking

Round the World Travel Guide

You are here: Home / Features / My Inaugural Flight on Virgin America

My Inaugural Flight on Virgin America

May 11, 2010 By Dave

Tweet4
Share
Pin
WhatsApp
Email
Shares 4
The dim purple and blue cabin lights are easy on the eyes.
The dim purple and blue cabin lights are easy on the eyes.

On the recommendation of my friend Stefanie, and as the result of a nice sale, I took my inaugural flight on Virgin America.  For $280, taxes included, I flew round trip from Dulles, VA to Los Angeles, CA.

Purchasing the ticket and picking my seats online was a breeze.  I signed up for e-mail and text alerts in case there were any delays, and even handled the check-in over the internet the morning of my flights.  Being able to print out my boarding pass from home meant that I could save time (and one potential line) at the airport by heading straight to security.  It worked like a charm in both directions.

Animated safety presentation.
Animated safety presentation.

My last series of flights was on Ethiopian Airlines, and it was often disorganized when it came time to board the planes.  There was no such problem with Virgin America — I cannot recall a more orderly boarding process.  As an aside, apparently Stevie Wonder walked off the plane I boarded in Dulles, but I missed him despite sitting very close to the walkway.

Upon boarding the plane, my eyes were treated to a cabin dimly lit with purple and blue lights.  It was a refreshing change from the harsh fluorescent lights that are standard on most carriers.  I took my window seat near the front left of the plane, and started playing around with the touch screen display in front of me.  It was much easier to use than the (typical) remote in the armrest.

As we taxied to the runway, a humorous animated video reminded us of the safety information.

The $9 tapas plate includes avocado hummus, chips, and an assortment of cheeses, fruits, and veggies.
The $9 tapas plate includes avocado hummus, chips, and an assortment of cheeses, fruits, and veggies.

It wasn't until I started flipping through the flight's service brochure that I remembered you don't get free food on domestic flights.  If you can believe it, I hadn't flown a domestic route within the USA in about 5 years!  I had become so accustomed to free meals on planes, it didn't occur to me that I should be bringing snacks on board the 5 1/2 hour flight.

I used my hunger as an opportunity to try out the food ordering process, which involves picking your meal via the touch screen display, and paying right there at your seat by swiping a credit card.  It worked perfectly, and it didn't take long for my tapas plate to arrive.  I'm not normally one to order fruits and veggies over a nice sandwich, however the selection of cheeses, and avocado hummus sounded delicious at the time.  And it was.

Track your flight's progress in real time with Google Maps.
Track your flight's progress in real time with Google Maps.

I had a lot of fun tracking our flights' progress with the touch screen.  I also made a playlist from the wide selection of  music that's available, and listened to that instead of my MP3 player.  Sidenote to Richard Branson — be sure and add the Red Hot Chili Peppers to your library.

I also caught up with a few episodes of Bravo's Top Chef thanks to the free satellite TV service.  Premium movies were $8 which was tempting, but too steep for a medium length flight.  Foreign flicks were $5 each.

On my flight home, with the two seats next to me empty, I splurged on Wi-Fi ($12.95 for 3+ hour flight).  The connection was fast, though the cost was again higher than I would pay on an ongoing basis.  If I had work to do, or the flight was longer, I might consider paying for it again.  The Wi-Fi is available through Gogo Inflight Internet, which offers a monthly rate as well.

The American flag on the Virgin wingtip is a nice touch.
The American flag on the Virgin wingtip is a nice touch.

And last, but not least, the service from the actual humans still involved in the experience was wonderful.  The self-service approach to ordering food on the flight meant that the aisles were clear most of the time, and it was easy to visit the bathrooms (which were clean and smelled pleasant…I think there was even music playing back there).

Overall, Virgin America feels like a more contemporary airline than any other I've flown.  I'm already looking forward to my next chance to fly with them.

(Visited 2,314 times, 1 visits today)
Tweet4
Share
Pin
WhatsApp
Email
Shares 4

Read a Related Story

Filed Under: Features, Reviews Tagged With: airplane, review, transportation, virgin america

About Dave

Dave is the Founder and Editor in Chief of Go Backpacking. Follow him on Instagram and Twitter @rtwdave for more.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. CamelsAndChocolate says

    May 11, 2010 at 4:37 pm

    Well you know I agree with you on all this as they are my airline of choice! It's nice that they're based in SF so that anywhere they fly I can reach, but their routes are still so limited it's a shame. I'm sure it's only a matter of time, though!

  2. Embug says

    May 11, 2010 at 6:48 pm

    I also love Virgin America! I was lucky enough to get a $250 flight from Dulles to San Fran back in January and it was delightful. We even took off early and I also had an entire row to myself. The flight attendants on my flight were very friendly and you could tell they liked their jobs. On the way back to Dulles I splurged on the Main Cabin Select and it was worth the “perks” – more leg room, 1 checked bag, free movies, free food and of course exiting the plane before the rest of coach. I will definitely fly them again, I hope they add more domestic routes!

  3. camorose says

    May 12, 2010 at 1:30 am

    You have definitely sold me! I've heard nothing but good things about Virgin, but this was a very nice summary of the highlights. Would definitely be interested in trying them back in the States. Thanks for the info!

    • Dave says

      May 12, 2010 at 1:12 pm

      Welcome Christine, though there’s one thing I didn’t check out via their entertainment system — the Virgin stewardess TV show “Fly Girls”

  4. Jon says

    May 14, 2010 at 12:16 pm

    great write up Dave! I can't wait to fly with them myself.

  5. Dave says

    May 17, 2010 at 1:17 pm

    Welcome Christine, though there’s one thing I didn’t check out via their entertainment system — the Virgin stewardess TV show “Fly Girlsâ€?

  6. Dave says

    May 17, 2010 at 6:17 pm

    Welcome Christine, though there’s one thing I didn’t check out via their entertainment system — the Virgin stewardess TV show “Fly Girls”

Primary Sidebar

Today’s Most Popular Stories

  • It’s Called Mount Taal – But It’s The World’s…
  • Tanzanian Food: Typical and Traditional Cuisine
  • Iceland’s Ring Road: 9 Amazing Places to Camp
  • A Woman’s Guide to Using Squat Toilets
  • 5 Fascinating Historical Sites in Southeast Asia

Topics


© 2018 Go Backpacking · All Rights Reserved · Privacy