Virgin America: Airline 2.0?

[Thorin]

- 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.

- 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).

- 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).

- In-flight, seat-to-seat chat. Tabbed, even! I think you can have like 3 or 4 threads open at once. 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.

- 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.

- In-flight entertainment and info system has a super user-friendly GUI, and it's touchscreen! You can also use it to order food. For text input, there are little handheld qwerty keyboards that slide in and out of your armrest.

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

- 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).

- 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.

- 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.

Check out the pictures in the article, too.  It looks like a very nice plane to ride in, and they're showing off the in-cabin chat system.

[Thorin]

More pictures of the RED in-flight entertainment system, including playing Doom:

http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/10/hands-on-with-virgin-americas-red-in-flight-entertainment-syste/

[Mr. Analog]

Now that's the way to fly!

[Tonnica]

I like that whole concept. As a nerd the appeal of these easy-access terminals is great. The first thing I'd use it for is to check out the snack menu. While I don't usually buy snacks on a plane, I'm always curious about what the various flights carry. Using the system I can now browse without needing to catch a flight attendant.

[Mr. Analog]

MUTHA' FOKKIN' SNACKS ON A PLANE!

[Tom]

Is Virgin America too geeky for passengers and flight attendants?

[Thorin]

Is Virgin America too geeky for passengers and flight attendants?

Hah hah, they needed a better UI to handle ordering a Coke!

I think it'd have been better if there was no "Checkout" and "Confirm" buttons.  Just let the flight attendant cancel the order if the person says they didn't want it.  Really, all the food-ordering system is meant to do is keep track of what's available and help the flight attendant figure out what you want quicker (no more you waiting for them to tell you what there is, no more them waiting for you to decide).  It's nothing more than a time-saver.  And it only saves time if it just makes sense.  Which, apparently, it didn't on the flight described in Tom's link.

Still, it's cool that they're trying to use technology on planes...

Also, why did they put the plugs between the seats that you're sitting on, instead of between the seats in front of you?  That would make it a lot easier to reach.  Although I suppose then the cords would get in the way when you're trying to get out of your seat in an emergency situation (whether toilet- or plane-crash-oriented).  So maybe that makes sense.

[Mr. Analog]

Bag of Peanuts:
Cancel or Allow?

[Darren Dirt]

Snacktray overflow: contents lost.

[Mr. Analog]

Snacktray overflow: contents lost.

Blue Sky of Death?

I could go on...

[Tom]

Blue Sky of Death?

I'd be more like a "oops" or "panic" IIRC the Virgin planes run Linux, or some other OSS OS.

[Mr. Analog]

Blue Sky of Death?

I'd be more like a "oops" or "panic" IIRC the Virgin planes run Linux, or some other OSS OS.

So as the plane hurtles to the ground the pilots' only chance rests on... VI!

LOL

[Tom]

At least "panic" is an apt word for this

[Thorin]

Bag of Peanuts:
Cancel or Allow?

Cancel

Dammit, I said Cancel!

Aagghh!  Anaphylaxis!!!

Also...  I wonder if Virgin America is gonna start bragging about their planes' up-time?

[Tom]

I wonder if Virgin America is gonna start bragging about their planes' up-time?

ROFL