SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Virgin
America, the award-winning U.S. airline, announces today that
Singapore Airlines (SQ) will codeshare on select Virgin America
flights. This new agreement, only the second international
codeshare agreement for California-based Virgin America, offers
seamless booking using the Singapore Airlines code (SQ) on a
single ticket for guests traveling between Asia and multiple Virgin America destinations
in the U.S. including San
Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago (ORD), Fort Lauderdale, Las
Vegas, Palm Springs,
Philadelphia, Portland, San
Diego, Seattle and
Washington DC
(IAD). Singapore Airlines operates non-stop flights
between the US and Toyko, Seoul,
Hong Kong, Singapore and Frankfurt. Virgin
America's recent move to a new reservations system allowed the
carrier to initiate new codeshare alliances and significantly
expand its roster of interline partnerships.
(Logo:
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090123/VIRGINAMERICALOGO)
Codeshare flights are on sale now and the first travel date is
December 18. The move will allow
Singapore Airlines travelers to have more options when connecting
in the U.S. The partnership is a true quality alliance as Singapore
Airlines is routinely named one of the top international carriers
for its high levels of guest service and Virgin America has been
named the Best Domestic Airline by Conde Nast Traveler,
Travel + Leisure Magazine, and Zagat and has swept other
major travel awards every year since its launch in 2007.
"This agreement enables us to offer guests a seamless,
award-winning travel experience across continents and significantly
expand connection options in North
America for Singapore Airlines' savvy travelers," said
John MacLeod, Virgin America's
senior vice president for planning and sales. "The partnership with
one of the world's leading airlines is a testament to the quality
of our product, and we're happy to welcome aboard Singapore
Airlines guests in time for the holiday travel season."
"We are pleased to announce this important partnership with
Virgin America which extends our network even further within
the United States," said Singapore
Airlines Acting Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing
Chin Yau Seng. "The United States is an important market for
Singapore Airlines and through this partnership we can offer our
customers more travel options to more destinations."
Beginning today, flights can be booked through all the major
Global Distribution Systems (GDS) for travel beginning December 18 (U.S.).
Known for beautifully-designed cabins and unparalleled in-flight
entertainment, Virgin America has swept the travel awards since its
2007 launch. The airline has taken top honors as "Best U.S.
Airline" in both Conde Nast Traveler's Readers' Choice
Awards and Travel + Leisure's World's Best Awards
for the past five consecutive years. Virgin America's
mood-lit, custom-designed new aircraft feature standard power
outlets near every seat, Gogo™ In-flight Internet on every flight
and Red™ — the most advanced entertainment system in the U.S. In
addition to a Main Cabin that offers leather seats with a deeper,
more comfortable pitch, Virgin America's First Class features
international-grade amenities, including plush white leather seats
with 55 inches of pitch and lumbar massagers. The carrier's premium
cabin option, Main Cabin Select, offers 38-inches of seat pitch,
complimentary food and cocktails, an all-access pass to
entertainment options, dedicated overhead bin space, one free
checked bag and priority check-in and boarding. Earlier this year,
Virgin America rolled out enhancements to its Elevate frequent
flyer program — including Elevate Gold and Elevate Silver
status levels that offer perks such as: priority check-in,
security clearance and boarding; points earning bonuses; free
checked bag allowances; enhanced digital/social rewards; private
discounts; an expanded advance purchase upgrade window for the
airline's exclusive eight-seat First Class; complimentary
space-available upgrades to the carrier's premium Main Cabin Select
service; and complimentary access to the best seat assignments
within Main Cabin.
In addition to the new Singapore Airlines agreement, Virgin
America has codeshare agreements with Virgin Australia and Hawaiian
Airlines and interline agreements with China Airlines, Virgin
Atlantic, Air New Zealand, Emirates, Korean Air, Cathay Pacific,
South African Airways, El Al, Qantas, Ethiopian Airlines, Air
Pacific, Japan Airlines, SATA, Thai Airways and Air China. For
more, please
visit: http://www.virginamerica.com/travel/virgin-partners.html
Virgin America flies to San
Francisco, Los Angeles,
New York, Washington D.C. (IAD), Seattle, Las Vegas San Diego, Boston, Fort
Lauderdale, Orlando,
Dallas Fort-Worth, Los Cabos, Cancun, Chicago, Puerto
Vallarta, Palm Springs
(seasonally), Philadelphia,
Portland and Washington D.C.'s Reagan National (DCA).
Singapore Airlines currently operates 45 flights per week to
five points in the United States,
namely Houston, Los Angeles, Newark,
New York and San
Francisco.
About Virgin America: Headquartered in California, Virgin America offers guests
attractive fares and a host of innovative features aimed at
reinventing air travel. In just over five years flying,
Virgin America was named "Best Domestic Airline" in the
Conde Nast Traveler 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012
'Readers' Choice' Awards and "Best Domestic Airline" in Travel +
Leisure's 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 'World's Best'
Awards. The airline's base of operations is San Francisco International Airport (SFO)'s
sleek and sustainable new Terminal 2. The airline's new
aircraft offer interactive in-flight entertainment systems and
power outlets near every seat. Virgin America offers Gogo™
WiFi on every flight and hosts the largest in-flight entertainment
library in the North American skies via the touch-screen Red™
platform. For more: www.virginamerica.com
SOURCE Virgin America