Virgin America officially ceased to exist on Thursday. The quirky carrier was set up on a market branding agreement with Britain’s Sir Richard Branson, the billionaire founder of Virgin Atlantic and minority investor in Virgin America. Alaska Airlines closed a $2.6 billion acquisition of Virgin America in December of 2016 after the Justice Department approved the deal. The two carriers now operate on a single operating certificate, and Virgin America will drop its air traffic control call sign “Redwood” for Alaska’s simple “Alaska.” Logos, livery, and other branding from Virgin America will still remain temporarily for several more months until removal and replacement are complete.
April 24 will be the last day that customers can book flights on Virgin America’s website before being re-directed to Alaska’s site. Officials of Alaska Airlines maintain that they plan to incorporate and continue many of the popular features of Virgin America, such as its brash interior lighting effects and varied electronic entertainment options. A new Airbus A321NEO originally intended for Virgin America has already entered service in traditional Alaska livery.
