Upstart airline Virgin America will begin its freight operations concurrently with the start of its passenger service this summer. In a recent interview, Virgin America’s manager of cargo Jason Lazich told Bay Crossings that the company will be moving a diverse mix of commodities.
By Patrick BurNson
Published: August, 2007
Given our initial markets, we will be able to provide a high level of service in three different levels: Vpack, which will be our next-flight guaranteed package; priority freight; and general freight, he said. Given our locations, we will see apparel, flowers, seafood and printed materials. At the beginning, payloads are projected to be modest. Initially, we are targeting small to medium freight forwarders, he said.
Meanwhile, Virgin America spokesman Gareth Jones announced that the next ten aircraft in the airline’s brand-new passenger fleet have been christened, eight of them as the result of a web-based naming contest. From tens of thousands of entries, the eight winners were: Airplane 2.0, An Airplane Named Desire, Contents May Be Under Pressure, Fog Cutter, Jane, Mach Daddy, Virgin & Tonic, and Winner of Naming Contest.
Also, two planes, Unicorn Chaser and Chic Mobile, have been named by the co-editors at [popular blog] boingboing.net, Jones said. The airline’s first aircraft was named Jefferson Airplane last October by Grace Slick.
We were overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of entries people submitted to help name our fleet, said Virgin America CEO Fred Reid. While the prize was restricted to entrants from the United States, we were amazed to have so many people from around the world get involved with the contest. We’re looking forward to serving our future guests in these creatively-named planes.
Steamship Night Returns on September 13th
Ask any Bay Area resident about the climate here in September, and they will tell you it’s the ideal time for a visit; just weeks before autumn officially arrives, we get our summer. Clear skies and warm temperatures abound, with only the lightest of offshore breezes. For the local shipping community, September also brings the much-anticipated return of Steamship Night.
Sponsored by the Pacific Transportation Association, this annual event adheres to only the highest standards of festive rites. There are hosted bars during the pre-dinner cocktail hour, and complimentary wine at every table. And best of all—no speeches.
We designed this evening long ago to simply be an opportunity for fellowship and good fun, says Steamship Night chairman Jim Fitzgerald. September is the perfect month for us to stage this party because everyone has returned from vacation and is preparing to finish the year’s final quarter on a high note.
Tables of ten are priced at $1,000 and individual seating is $100, said Fitzgerald. The event begins at 6 p.m. and officially ends at 11 p.m., with some private parties generally running a bit longer into the night, he adds. We can’t promise anything beyond that, but we do guarantee that there will be no official greeting and/or grandstanding. Just show up and entertain your friends.
The event will take place at the San Francisco Marriott, whose location at 55 Fourth Street is convenient to the City’s financial, arts, and shopping districts.
Checks should be made payable to Pacific Transportation Association in care of Jim Fitzgerald, EFI Logistics, Inc.
235 Montgomery St., Ste. 1150
San Francisco CA 94104
For more information, visit
