Message from your hosts:

Thank you to everyone who participated! We really had a great time and hope you did too. We made a Facebook page where you can post photos, share stories, and whatnot at http://www.facebook.com/VXFarewell. We understand there's a level of anonymity at FlyerTalk, so we understand if you don't want to join or acknowledge who you are. As your cohosts, we even face that risk by revealing the "veil" from behind our screen names since we have to work with the parties and vendors involved.

Overall, we had a great success. Between the swag, flash mob, inseat dance video, and lounge we hope we could give the Virgin America brand the proper send off it deserved.

It was a highly emotional day, and overall things went well. We also wanted to thank everyone for your contributions for the Virgin America swag! Without you, none of this would be possible.

Now, we did get confirmation from Alaska that the CHATROOM messages are not archived, and are long gone. It was quite amusing, however we *did hear you loud and clear* - you want more. We are talking about doing another event in the fall, and coordinating it with Alaska; we will keep you updated here and at the Facebook VXFarewell & Facebook MVP Gold 75K group. We're hoping to talk to Alaska to make an SFO/SEA trip a combination of AvGeekFest meets Alaska MVP Gold luncheon, since the focus is on us frequent flyers. This would include a possible visit to the Boeing plant (floor tour), Museum of Flight, and some other aspects of the PacNW. By then, hopefully emotions will have subsided and we can coordinate some meaningful dialogue with the decision makers at Alaska about what we like, don't like, etc.

and special shout out to Ben, Sam, Mikey, and our Virgin angels who help made this possible.

Thank you for living it up one last time in the sky with us!

-Brendan, Carolyn, Nate

#VXFarewell #VXForever #tillthewheelsfalloff





Schedule of Events

8:00PM - FlyerTalk #VXFarewell checkin table will be open. Please stop by to claim your FlyerTalk ID name tag, swag, lyrics sheet, sign up for the midnight toast in the LAX Lounge, and sign the #FinalBoardingCall certificates. Please show your VX1948 boarding pass for your swag kit. Swag kit will consist of a 16 ounce tumbler, #vxforever stickers/buttons/laptop sticker, specialty bag tag, FlyerTalk bag tag, destination poster, and safety card. We have enough for everyone on the plane, our VX crew working the flight, and the gate agents & ramp working our flight in SFO and LAX. There may be leftover pieces that will first be given to our sponsors/donors, and we'll have plenty of tumblers, stickers, pins, and posters for VX Team members.

8:30PM - our inbound flight from DC should be arriving right about now. We're expecting a sizeable turnout of VX team members (current and past). There will be other activities going on between our flight and the EWR flight.

9:00PM - #VXFarewell table will start to be torn down (as we're all on the flight)

9:20PM - please make sure that you are on board, not everyone can be the "last to board". We're working on having someone video tape the final boarding call and upload it.

9:32PM - Pushback to LAX, gonna live it up one last time!

VX Safety Dance: Please remain seated and adhere to crew instructions! We'd like as many of you to participate in this as possible, and will share videos/photos. Tutorial here: https://youtu.be/QDsxTKO9Bzg

11:01PM - with luck, we pull into T6 at LAX and *not* a remote stand. We're expecting a greeting committee of VX'ers and #avgeeks in LAX.

11:20PM - we say goodbye to our friends going to PDX/ANC/SEA on Alaska and the redeyes to ATL/MIA. Rest of us need to move into the Alaska Lounge (use BOTH elevators - AL Direct and the AC Maple Leave Lounge elevator). Should you NOT be an Alaska Lounge or American Admirals Club Member, Alaska Airlines has graciously covered your entrance by showing your VX 1948 boarding pass.

12:00AM - We toast farewell to one of the most innovative airlines as the Sabresonic system & VX code is sunset.

12:15AM - Move from the Lounge to In & Out on the north side of the airport.


The Flight
Virgin America will "cease to exist" as a branded airline on April 25, 2018. Alaska is quite focused on the PSS integration, so we've heard mumbles that Alaska is more concerned with that aspect and not the "goodbye" fiesta. Alaska has made the 9:35PM LA-SF flight a private, "founders" flight for Virgin staff & special invite, but nothing was ever announced for the public. So, we found that VX 1948, the 9:32PM SFO-LAX flight, will officially be the final revenue departure for Virgin America- It has been upgauged to an A321 from an A320 and will be the last VX flight to depart on the 24th, earning the monicker as the "Final Flight" available to the public. VX1948 is SOLD OUT.

AS/VX has indicated that they plan to make special gate announcements and give all passengers "a special treat" during the flight. Alaska will also take the lead with working with us on a midnight champagne toast to Virgin America in the LAX Alaska Lounge conference room. 4/18 UPDATE: Alaska Airlines has graciously offered to cover the entry fee for any FlyerTalk member who shows their VX1948 boarding pass to the lounge reception team. No guest passes or Priority Pass memberships will be necessary.

Alaska has also planned celebratory events for VX team members at LAX & SFO. Our celebration is not meant to overshadow or replace that. As customers, we are celebrating 11 years of innovation and a bright future for Alaska. However, you should expect to see quite a few VX team members greeting our flight when it arrives!

Swag
We have made some #vxforever and #vxfarewell items which will be distributed in the boarding area prior to departure. Alaska is going to have their own handouts, but are also allowing us as frequent flyers to hand out our own so if anyone wants to donate to the pot, we can make sure everyone ends up with some cool mementos to remember the flight by. Right now we are going to have buttons, bag tags (both FlyerTalk & VXFarewell), 16 ounce plastic cups, posters and stickers at our FlyerTalk Farewell Table in the gate area for VX 1948. The table will have the swag, name tag pick-up, and registration for the Alaska Lounge Toast (they still want a headcount). Those who contribute more than $25 to help socalgecko & UAPremierExec offset the costs will be rewarded with any remaining extra items after they have been distributed to people on our flight. (note: we've received a bit more contributions and ordered 200 more cups and will run more posters, but supplies will be limited, so please make sure you stop by our table to check-in and receive your swag). Please be prepared to show your VX 1948 boarding pass, as we will only have enough swag for those on the flight and for the VX/AS staff working it.

Donations can be made via PayPal or sent to @socalgecko on Venmo.

Memorabilia & Autopilot Kit Exchange

We will have a table in the gate area with the FlyerTalk logo & #VXFarewell to distribute and trade Virgin America swag and memorabilia. Table will need to be torn down at boarding since those working the table are also on the flight.

Users and Seats - 81 confirmed FTers and guests

First Class:
Carfield 1A
CalanMan +1
(FT Lurker +1)

Main Cabin Select:

m_j_n + 1: 3D
socalgecko +1: 3F, tbd
The ITDA +1: 4A & 4B
TheMiddleSeat: 4C
FluxTZ: 4D
PhoenixWildman: 4E
MiniC: 4F


Main Cabin:

mfolf: 6A
DaWhirledTraveller: 6E, 23E
Jaloola: 6F
jrl767: 7A
Zorak: 7B
beckoa: 7D
ktenorman: 7F
UAPremierExec + Guest: 8A & 8C, 9B, 18C
Voldoo: 8B
Robt760: 9D
Texas2SFO: 10D
Flyupfrnt: 10F
zc0302 + 1: row 10
diburning: 11A
isaac.chambers +1: 11E & 11F
bennos: 12C
williaminsd +1: 12D,E
GTBundy: 14A
mooseofspruce: 15A
Lglr2: 15B
justkeepflying: 15D
jeromekeh: 15F
forthwall: 16B
steve64: 16C
be_rettSEA: 16D
vji: 16E
boxo 16F
eap: 17A
krazykanuck: 17C
PDXPremier: 17D
motoridersd: 17E
eddiehuang97 17F
JamilD +1: 18D & 18E
diburning: 18F
Carp12C: 19A
McGowan06- 21F
media travel show producer/journalist: 22A
Well known aviation photographer: 23A
VGC: 23B
farwest714: 23C
jetsflier: 23D
N777UA: 25A
wanderlutz: 25B
yectep: 26B
Jeremys1: 26F
aw: 28A
brettsir: 28D
sky303: 29A
opiuman: 29D
OhHai: 33A
paradox +1: 33B & 33C


Unaccounted/Unassigned seats (or they want to remain anonymous, which is OK):

Dr Alex
DevRogue
Baze
tusphotog
NachoAirline +1
mte401
jbenomi
AaaChiuuu

After Flight Get Together at LAX
Alaska is taking the lead on the lounge effort and has said they will keep the lounge open until 12:15a since we are scheduled to land at 10:59PM. Alaska Airlines has graciously offered to cover the entry fee for any FlyerTalk member who shows their VX1948 boarding pass to the lounge reception team. No guest passes or Priority Pass memberships will be necessary. This is probably the ideal time/place for those of you who want to trade Autopilots kits to do so, if you didn't in SFO.

Plan is to have a midnight toast farewell to Virgin America as the brand sunsets at midnight.

Afterwards, some of us shall head to In & Out and the park across the street for continued socializing.

Hotels

The following hotels & rates are available as of 12 April, if interested in booking, please MESSAGE your name & phone number to UAPREMIEREXEC and we can book you (no commission, no service charge). Rates are 100% non-refundable or changeable, unfortunately. DO NOT email a credit card, we will call you.

Best Western Airport Plaza - $91 + tax
Motel 6 LAX: $100 + tax
Four Points Sheraton LAX: $121 + tax
Holiday Inn LAX: $136 + tax
Crowne Plaza LAX: $144 + tax
Westin LAX: $188 + tax

Available via hiltonfamilymvp.com: (must be a HHonors member)
Hilton LAX: $171 + tax
Embassy Suites LAX: $188 + tax



Meet Up and/or Lounge Access
Handle: Inbound: ----------------------- Outbound: -------------------- Lounge Access:
beckoa AS3419 5:56 PM MSP-SFO AS193 11:55 PM LAX-ANC SFO AMEX CL+PP [Can Guest 2]
UAPremierExec VX1899 12:41PM (I think) Outbound SNA 10AM to SEA on the 25th. AL Member. 2 Free guests spoken for.
Zorak local / 25 Apr 16:55 LAX-SFO WN1251 / PP
krazykanuck AA349 3:00 pm DFW-SFO / AA136 LAX-LHR 19:40 / Amex CL + PP
socalgecko VX1899 12:41p / local / PP
flyupfront VX1754 5:59 pm / AS403 6am to SEA on 4/25 (PP & 75k Passes)
jrl767 VX1929 or 1933 (LAX; arrive 1541 or 1643) / staying in LA for work the rest of the week / request guest access @SFO
CalanMan SFO local / LAX-SFO on AS Airbus 4/25 morning / AA Club Member, AmEx Plat, PP
boxo AS 1899 LAX SFO dep 11:20-12:41. Need guest access into lounges.