What’s Happening with Virgin America?
Jun 5th, 2006 | By Jared BlankIf you’re like me, you wake up every single day wondering what the hell is happening with Virgin America. You’re not like me, I hope. But if you are, there’s a bit of an update: they’re not going to launch until at least early 2007. Continental Airlines has filed complaints against Virgin America, suggesting that its ownership is not sufficiently US-based (there are laws about what percentage of an airline’s ownership must be based in the US). Virgin America’s CEO says, not surprisingly, that this is nonsense. While I appreciate Continental doing whatever it can to quash its competitors, I don’t appreciate it trying to quash competition. I expect more from them (though I have no idea why), and it’s about time they let Virgin America compete on fair terms.
Given the decades long obstacles the British have placed in CAL’s path to serve Heathrow, I see no reason why CAL should not “pay back” the favor by rigorously enforcing the domestic ownership rules on a British-controlled airline.