Media Advisory - Virgin America Lands in Toronto

    
       AIRLINE CELEBRATES FIRST CANADIAN DESTINATION W/MILE HIGH PARTY,
                     FIRST FLYERS GET AIR TIME WITH DRAKE
    Flight Crosses the Border in Virgin Style with Mile High Party Hosted
              by Sir Richard Branson & Hip Hop Juggernaut Drake
       Red Carpet Welcome for Virgin America and Virgin Mobile Canada's
                  "Air Drake" on the Airport Arrival Tarmac
    

SAN FRANCISCO, June 23 /CNW/ -

WHAT: Virgin America, the California-based airline, marks the launch of its first international destination with a celebrated flight from California to Toronto, complete with a mile high party hosted by Virgin Group Founder and Provocateur-in-Chief Sir Richard Branson and hip hop juggernaut and Toronto native Drake. Virgin America's low-fare, high-tech service injects new competition into the Canadian market with twice daily flights from San Francisco International (SFO) and Los Angeles International (LAX) to Toronto Pearson International (YYZ). Although the airline's service begins June 23, the celebrated flight takes place on June 29 due to G8/G20 events.

Despite missing the G8/G20, Virgin America's Toronto launch may just cause its own international incident. Some of the airline's first Toronto guests will enjoy cocktails, music and a mile high party under the airline's signature moodlighting as they cross the border in style. Upon touchdown of Virgin America's "Air Drake" in Toronto, flight guests (including Drake fans who scored a fly-away trip to the West Coast and a seat for one of the hottest tickets in the skies, thanks to Virgin Mobile Canada -- http://www.virginmobile.ca/vmc/en/hot-offers/promotions/drake.html) will receive an international welcome with a Virgin twist: a bottle popping arrival reception on the arrival tarmac. Flight guests will mingle with Toronto VIPs and toast the new service on touch-down with Mumm Napa(R) Sparkling Wine from California's Napa Valley.

Virgin America offers beautifully designed mood-lit cabins, fleetwide WiFi and the largest and most advanced touch-screen entertainment platform in the skies. Since its 2007 launch, the airline has swept all the major reader-based travel awards, including "Best Airline" in Condé Nast Traveler's Readers' Choice Awards and Travel + Leisure's World's Best Awards. With strong business ties, between Ontario and California, especially in entertainment and high-tech, the airline is seeing high demand for its innovative, stylish service along the LAX-YYZ and SFO-YYZ routes.

    
    WHAT:     Flight guests, Drake and Sir Richard Branson greeted on arrival
              tarmac by a special international welcoming committee and feted
              at a red carpet reception on the tarmac

    WHEN:     Tuesday June 29 - 4:00-5:00pm
              NOTE: Media should arrive no later than 3:15 p.m.

    WHERE:    Toronto Pearson International Airport (media must RSVP for
              directions to site/bring photo ID)

    WHO:      Virgin Group Founder and President Sir Richard Branson
              Drake
              Virgin America Chairman Don Carty
              Virgin America President and CEO David Cush
              GTAA President and CEO Lloyd McCoomb

    RSVP:     Katie Baynes: (650) 274- 9242 or
              [email protected]

    KEY VISUALS:

    -   Virgin America new Airbus A320 aircraft (named "Air Drake") touching
        down in Toronto, welcomed by traditional water cannon salute
    -   Sir Richard Branson, Drake, celebs & other flight guests de-planing
        onto red carpet, crossing "border" to party on tarmac
    -   Live music, Mumm Napa(R) Sparkling Wine served on the tarmac red
        carpet in front of Virgin America Air Drake aircraft
    -   Media tours of Virgin America Airbus A320 featuring moodlit interiors
        and Red(TM) touch-screen entertainment at every seat
    

As part of the festivities, Virgin America will also be giving some young entrepreneurs their big break. Virgin Unite's Young Entrepreneurs provides training and seed funds to disadvantaged young people, and Eric Ryan (Co-Founder of eco-friendly cleaning product company Method), Jason Pomeranc and Tony Cohen (Co-Owners of Thompson Toronto), Courtney and Carter Reum (Co-Founders of eco-friendly spirit company VeeV) and other outside-the-box business leaders, will conduct "airplane pitches" with aspiring entrepreneurs en route to YYZ.

EDITORS NOTE: Virgin America is a U.S.-controlled, owned and operated airline. It is an entirely separate company from Virgin Atlantic. Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group is a minority share investor in Virgin America.

About Virgin America: Headquartered in California and launched in August 2007, Virgin America is one of the fastest growing start-up U.S. airlines of all time. Virgin America offers guests attractive fares and a host of innovative features aimed at reinventing air travel. The airline's new aircraft offer interactive in-flight entertainment systems and power outlets near every seat for electronic gear. Virgin America offers in-flight internet service on every flight and hosts the largest in-flight entertainment library in the North American skies via its touch-screen Red(TM) seatback system (which houses 700 hours of entertainment content). The airline was named "Best Domestic Airline" in the Condé Nast Traveler 2008 and 2009 Readers' Choice Awards and in Travel + Leisure's 2008 and 2009 World's Best Awards and "Best Low-Cost Airline in North America" in 2010 by the World Airline Awards. For more: www.virginamerica.com.

For further information: Patricia Condon, [phone] (mobile), [email protected]; Katie Baynes, [phone] (mobile), katie.baynes @virginamerica.com