VIRGIN AMERICA has been finally announced as the new Sir Richard Branson, San Francisco-based, offspring with a mid-2005 target start-up using a fleet of Airbus A319 and A320 aircraft. Speaking at the International Aviation Club in Washington chief executive Fred Reid said that the new carrier would comply with US ownership regulations and simply licence the Virgin name. The regulations limit foreign investment of US airlines to a 25% voting stake and 49% of total equity. However Reid did not disclose who the potential US investors might be. The Virgin brand, in terms of airlines now extends to Virgin Atlantic (UK), Virgin Express (Belgium), Virgin Blue (Australia) and now Virgin America.
http://www.virgin.com