I am very excited when new service comes to Boston because the lack of competition here on direct routes leads to very high fares. Also, the traditional carriers have made flying so miserable that it does not take much to impress me anymore. I have always been a big JetBlue fan and Virgin America seems to be improving on their playbook (new planes, reasonable fares, good amenities and friendly service). On a recent business trip, I flew the new Boston to San Francisco direct route. The price of the ticket was about $350 and the new plane had Virgin America’s trademark mood lighting, interactive entertainment system (where you can order paid meals and have them delivered to your seat) and a noticeably friendly crew. However the really big news was the Wifi service, which worked flawlessly and for $10 let me work online for the entire flight, which was a reason to choose Virgin America alone. Instead of arriving to 100 e-mails, I was all caught up and ready to go when I landed. The only negative is that the basic coach seat is a little tight on legroom, but they do offer a variety of upgrade options. Virgin America, like JetBlue and Southwest before it is helping to bring civility back to air travel. Count me in as a fan and I am hoping for more Boston routes.
