Jaunted

Airport Renovations / Turks and Caicos / Providenciales / New Airline Routes / → All Tags

Turks and Caicos' Airport Update Gets Rid of the Jankity, Makes Room for 747s

While kicking back at our hotel spa in Providenciales this week, we vaguely remembered that was a big event taking place that afternoon, down at Provo Airport. Sadly, we couldn't drag ourselves away from the Regent Spa to bring you all the pomp and circumstance of the official ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new runway expansion at PLS--but we can tell you a little about what it all means.

Work on the $35-million-dollar project began last July, extending the runway from 7,600 feet to its new length of 9,200 feet. Which means: hello, Boeing 777s and 747s!

That's the hope, anyway&@151;and a much-needed terminal upgrade will be the next phase of the project.

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Party Dispatch Report / Jetblue LAX Inaugural / JetBlue / New Airline Routes / Robin Thicke / → All Tags

JetBlue, VH1 and Robin Thicke Take Over MyHouse in Hollywood

Last night to celebrate their big arrival into LAX, JetBlue threw a party with VH1's Save The Music foundation at the Hollywood Club du Nuit, MyHouse. Yes, that's the place with the bed upstairs. And yes, we sat on it and took pictures.

The night was largely about Save The Music and people in Hollywood than JetBlue. Still, JetBlue made their presence known with the flight attendants serving the famous blue Terra chips and the bartenders outfitted in JetBlue LA t-shirts. Blue Malibu rum drinks and champagne were served and everyone walked away with a JetBlue gift bag full of LA and NYC goodies as well as a good-sized bottle of the Absolut 100 vodka. (It was definitely not the TSA-approved three ounces.)

It's no surprise that JetBlue chose to do up their LA debut in such a large way, what with Richard Branson popping champagne off the wings of his V Australia planes and showing up for every new Virgin America launch. Let's face it: the competition is on between JetBlue and Virgin America to become THE airline for the young, the hip, the famous and the bicoastal. The only edge we see right now is that VA has first class which is more conducive to celebrity privacy. (Unless we're sitting behind them!)

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New Routes / Jaunted Interviews / Richard Branson / Virgin America / Shira Lazar / New Airline Routes / → All Tags

Richard Branson Kisses Jaunted

Yesterday, we attend yet another Virgin America new route launch party. Keep going VA! This time Sir Richard Branson and Co. have begun offering five-times-daily flights flights out of The Real Orange County (John Wayne Airport) to San Francisco.

The inaugural event began yesterday after take off in San Francisco with Branson twittering in-flight using the fleet-wide WiFi at 35,000 feet. Upon landing in the OC, Branson was greeted by the cast of Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of Orange County” and Red Bull athletes. And for those guests lucky enough to be on the inaugural flight? They received Bare Escentuals makeovers and Sunset Tan spray.

The party continued over to the Pacific Edge Hotel in Laguna Beach but before all that, we managed to chase Sir Richard Branson down for an interview, in his car.

Related Stories:
· Virgin America Coverage [Jaunted]
· Jen Leo Twitters With Sir Richard [LA Times]
· Video Montage of the Event @ SFO [B.A.T.]

New Airline Routes / Virgin America / Charles Ogilvie / BOS / LAX / SFO / → All Tags

Virgin America Lands in Boston, Jaunted Gets a History Lesson

If you have been following our tweets, you know that last night we attended Virgin America's "Revolution is in the Air" @ the Liberty Hotel in Boston. The event marked the beginning of Virgin America service from BOS to LAX and SFO (we found fares yesterday for as low as $198 round trip).

Last nights party featured some New England Patriot cheerleaders, Richard Branson, and other "local celebrities" as they were billed, which much to our surprise turned out not to be a Wahlberg of any kind (Maria Menounos was the aforementioned celebrity). However, the big news for long time Jaunted readers is that Virgin America's original director of in-flight entertainment, Charles Ogilvie, cirrently Panasonic's Executive Director in Shanghai was in town and able to chill with us at this event.

Charles brought his Mom Ann Godfrey (pictured here) to the soirée. Turns out Charles has quite a history in the aviation world. Ann's Dad founded Godfrey Field, which is now BGR (Bangor International). Back in the day, Edward Rawson Godfrey welcomed Amelia Earhart to his airport. Very cool.