Virgin America is set to start 2 flights a day between Dallas and Los Angeles and 2 flights a day between Dallas and San Francisco and it began this past Wednesday with a party.  As expected, American Airlines is already responding.  AA is boosting its frequencies by 2 flights a day and they’re offering extra frequent flier points for booking on their flights as well as prizes for selected travelers.

It’s a typical AA response and one they’ve used against other entrants onto what they regard as their turf.  But is it enough?

In the past, new entrants have typically offered a service product that is no better than their so the competition was based on price and frequency.  While frequency is likely going to be a selling point, I’m not sure it’s going to be as much a factor this time since VA has decided to schedule its flights in what appears to be perfect “business” times.  Their morning flight to Los Angeles departs at 7:00am and their evening flight at 4:35pm.  This offers good arrivals times into LA and good departure times from DFW airport.  Their flights departing DFW for San Francisco leave at 8:00am and 2:15pm and while I’m not a fan of the latter, the former fits nicely too.

This might end up more about service product this time and VA has a service product that beats AA hands down.  American offers you a choice of their clapped out MD-80s, 757s or the possibility of their new 737s.  However, those 737s are equipped with less comfortable seats, no in flight entertainment and WiFi on AA is spotty.  Virgin offers WiFi on all their aircraft, in flight entertainment on all their aircraft, more comfortable seats on all their aircraft and better food and drink for purchase. 

Business travelers, especially those whose company has shunted them to economy, would be wise to give this product a try.  Anyone traveling on these routes would be wise to support VA in its entrance to the DFW market because this is exactly the kind of competition that AA hasn’t had for years on its routes from Dallas.  VA picked two very good routes to enter as they had exceptionally high fares.  I just checked on fares to both LAX and SFO for next Wednesday and found a low fare of $129 each way ($250 RT) available for both routes and that compares to fares that were in excess of $400 round trip on American.

I have an interest in seeing Virgin succeed on these routes.  I live in the DFW area and I’ve spent nearly 10 years getting angrier and angrier over the exceptionally high fares that AA has enjoyed a variety of routes departing DFW.  I’ve become so upset at the treatment I’ve received on AA that I’ve actively sought connecting flights on other airlines to avoid American’s “service”.   This is exactly the kind of new entrant DFW needs and stands in stark contrast to the others that have come here such as Spirit Airlines. 

Virgin America’s CEO is David Cush, a former American Airlines veteran executive and he gets what it will take to survive the attack from American.  I’m cautiously optimistic that he’ll recognize that there are plenty of other opportunities in this market and executing on them now puts his airline in position to do well even against Southwest after the Wright Amendment is fully lifted.

For those of you chasing the frequent flier status game, take a look at this new airline coming to DFW.  You’ll get better treatment and more opportunities for comfort and service for simply paying a lower fare than you’ll ever get as an AAdvantage Gold or Platinum member on routes such as these.  Do you want status and an old aircraft or service and a new aircraft?

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