VIRGIN AMERICA WELCOMES DOT ORDER RECOGNIZING U.S. CITIZENSHIP AND FITNESS TO FLY
DOT Decision Paves the Way for More Flights, Lower Fares, and New Choices for Consumers
Burlingame, Calif. – March 20, 2007 – The Department of Transportation (DOT) today tentatively approved Virgin America’s application to start a new U.S. airline, finding the carrier is owned and controlled by U.S. citizens and is fit to operate as a domestic airline.
The DOT Order proposes that Virgin America finalize changes already offered by the company to address concerns about its citizenship, and to satisfy certain other pre-launch conditions.
“We worked very hard to address the Department’s initial concerns, and are pleased that they have recognized our extensive work and good faith commitment to meet and exceed those requirements,” said Virgin America CEO Fred Reid. "We plan to meet with our shareholders immediately to address the Department’s proposed conditions.”
Virgin America said it hoped to receive final DOT approval in anticipation of a mid-summer launch from its base at San Francisco International Airport to New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport. Four additional cities – Los Angeles, San Diego, Las Vegas and Washington D.C. – are planned to be added within nine months of the company's first flight.
“Today’s order puts us one giant step closer to flying,” said Virgin America spokesman Gareth Edmondson-Jones. “We look forward to finally get our wings — it will be a huge win for our employees, investors, supporters, and the traveling public.”
“We’d like to thank Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters, Assistant Secretary Andy Steinberg, and the entire DOT team for tentatively finding us fit, a U.S. citizen, and ready to fly. Once finalized, this decision will create more jobs, service, and competition for U.S. travelers.”
Virgin America is also in the final stages of receiving approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as the first new airline ever to be certified through the agency’s new Air Transportation and Oversight System (ATOS) safety program-- the FAA's newest and most advanced safety surveillance program. The airline finished its formal FAA safety evaluation in December 2006, and FAA officials commented that it was "the best certification they had seen in 25 years."