Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Wangdi Entry #8

TTIY: Virgin America Eyes IPO Next Year; Joins Bid to Oppose US Airways and American Airlines Merger; Teams up with Animal Safety and Control SF to Airlift Chihuahuas

Virgin America is on a roll making news this week.

Virgin America posted its profits for its quarterly profit for the first time in six years on Tuesday, November 12th.  The airline reported it earned a net income of $33 million and operating income of $44 million in the third quarter. The result of the strategic turnaround has positioned the airline to go public next year.

Just the day before on the 11th of November, Virgin America asked permission to file a brief with the court hearing the Justice Department's bid to stop arguing for barriers to entry to be lowered in the industry. The Department of Justice had filed a suit in August to stop the proposed US Air-American Airlines merger on antitrust grounds. The lawsuit is scheduled to go on trial on November 25th in Washington. 


Virgin said in its filing that it was the most recent airline to enter the US market, and that the proposed  deal between US Airways and American, one that would create the world's largest carrier, would  solidify already considerable impediments to new entrants.

However, US Airways and American Airlines will be allowed to merge after they agreed to give low-cost competitors more access to several key US airports, including in New York and Washington.
The agreement, subject to court approval, ends a US Department of Justice lawsuit filed in August. The government opposed the merger of US Airways and AMR, parent of bankrupt American Airlines, on the grounds it would hinder competition and lead to higher fares.
The two airlines agreed to give up 52 pairs of takeoff and landing slots at Washington's Reagan National Airport and 17 pairs at New York's LaGuardia Airport, both busy airports with limited capacity.

And for the canine loving folks, Virgin America has teamed up with Animal Care & Control San Franciso to airlift rescued chihuahuas to loving new homes. The "Operation Chihuahua Airlift" launches today. The airline's ongoing rescue and airlift incentive is an adoption incentive to airlift rescued chihuahuas to new homes on the East Coast for this Thanksgiving! The pack of Chihuahuas will be traveling in style in the airline’s main cabin, each dog 
accompanied by a SF/ACC staffer or a Virgin America volunteer. With the airline's fleet-wide WiFi and power outlets, the dogs' journey will be live  updated from Facebook and Twitter. The first chihuahua operation was started in 2010 and has carried onto 2013. 

Meet Jax, one of the chihuahuas up for adoption!


The campaign is being carried out on facebook with similar profiles of the dogs up for adoption, like the one pictured above, have been put up on in a photo album. Although the campaign hasn't been getting many hits on the facebook profile, Virgin America is utilizing its social media platform to exhibit their philanthropic moves. 


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