It's been launched, and has been getting rave reviews.

 in three words: Virgin America pwns. Here are ten reasons:

(1) Most comfortable coach I've experienced on any domestic carrier. Roomy, well-designed seats, nice leg room, seats sit at a pitch that maximizes stretch space.

(2) Obscenely comfy white leather seats (with "massage" feature) in first class. Pretty reasonable first class fares (I suppose they'll be higher later, but they're comparatively quite low right now).

(3) They're using open source software in every place possible. Linux galore. (Hey, how soon before there's a hack or prank, I wonder? If someone mile-high-goatses a VA plane, there's always a unicorn chaser in the fleet to soothe).

(4) In-flight, seat-to-seat chat. Now you can bitch about babies crying or barf-inducing turbulence -- with emoticons! Or group chat around each TV channel (while you watch TV), or join topic-based chat rooms.

(5) Google Freakin' Maps. I heard details of more add-in features they're planning to integrate with the maps soon -- not bloggable yet, but when they're live, they'll be mindblowing.

(6) In-flight entertainment and info system has a super user-friendly GUI, and it's touchscreen! With little qwerty keyboards! You can also use it to order food.

(7) Games. Including Doom. They're planning an open source game design competition, will feature winning games on the flights.

(8) In-flight text messaging and email are apparently on the way, as are pay-per-download music sales (mostly Virgin artists at launch, I'd guess).

(9) Movies are fairly recent ones you'd actually want to watch. Large selection of international fare for non-English-speaking passengers. Wide TV selections. You can get channels like IFC and Current in-flight. Music videos. Scan TV listings in a programming guide, see what's on when. You can set reminders for yourself for TV shows you want to catch.

(10) Some great internet content on the way. They're doing deals with internet video content producers and other video sources you'd never expect to see on a plane. They plan to have in-flight broadband in place next year (pending FAA approval) for even more frequent video content uploads. Incidentally, they have a smartly designed related method for system software updates. Many cool things about the IT design behind VA.

wow that is crazy cool!! I want to fly in their planes but I wonder much fairs are??

Google Maps on Virgin America:

soo crazy cool!!!

I flew them: JFK - SFO 2nd week of operation. 4 hours delay aside very nice and I got a great intro deal on the fare.

Meanwhile, the A380 flies into Sydney tomorrow morning!! I might just drive up to the airport and watch it fly in. That'd be cool

whats the A380?

The biggest, fastest, shiniest, lastest Airbus installment

Bet a 727 can still make more noise.

ROFL!

I miss the Concorde.  Nothing else comes close.  LHR-JFK in 3H 26M.  That was great.

Did you ever ride in one Erik?

Yes, in 1996.  Mach 2 at 60,000 feet.  The 3H 26M is an actual time from my flight.  I'll never forget it, and nothing else comes close in a commercial airliner.  RIP Concorde.

Nice. That would be memorable.

We left London a 7PM local, arrived in JFK a little after 6PM Local, and ran to a United flight to SFO, which landed a bit after 7PM local in SFO.   A great trip.

yay for time zones

check out this article on Singapore Airlines (first to use the new A380) and what they are asking their passengers not to do

I say if they give you a bed with your partner and have hours to waste what else are you suppose to do
 

What else are you supposed to do? Try to not piss the other passengers off, that's what

But, it may be more entertaining than watching the movie.

hahaha true!