Virgin America targets US Airways with launch of Philadelphia service in April

Virgin America will continue its strategy of targeting fortress hubs with service to Philadelphia commencing in Apr-2012 from Los Angeles and San Francisco. Virgin America will take approximately one-quarter market share on both routes at the main expense of Philadelphia's hub carrier, US Airways. Philadelphia is a key step in the development of Virgin America's network as it will give the carrier service to all five of the largest metropolitan areas in the US and eight of the top 10, with only Atlanta and Houston still missing from its network but likely to be added before the end of 2012.

Virgin America's first flights to Philadelphia, its 17th city, will arrive on 05-Apr-2012 with double daily service from Los Angeles on the carrier's 137-seat A320s. A third daily frequency will be added on 01-May-2012. Services from Virgin America's San Francisco hub commence 10-Apr-2012 with one daily frequency, increasing to double daily on 01-May-2012.