Sir Richard Branson, ever the maverick, is about to tilt at one more windmill. His Virgin America, low-fare airline, will be headquartered in Burlingame, CA. It will become the only California-based airline and the first since PSA was taken over in 1988. By the middle of next year, the airline will fly out of San Francisco Airport (SFO) and the first route announced is between SFO and an undisclosed New York airport.

The new headquarters will employ approximately 2000 by 2007. Both State and local San Francisco officials had lobbied hard for the company to land in San Francisco.

Look for joint Richard and Arnold sightings to begin soon.

On a personal note, I have flown Virgin Airlines many times and their service is classy, novel, and never boring. Evidence? A year ago, Virgin became the first airline to offer double beds in first class. I don't thimk they will be instituting these in Virgin America, which is targeted as a discount airline, but watch for something innovative.

Gillian Parrillo
Sacramento Executive