VX Social Channels being scrubbed by Alaska
 

Virgin America's Instagram & YouTube channels have been quietly wiped almost entirely clear of all the content the airline produced over the years. Am I crazy to think this feels like a dick move by Alaska? VX produced a lot of cool content on both channels. I get that AS is trying in earnest to assert their brand now but it strikes me as rather petty that they didn't let it stay where it was/exist as an archive somewhere else.

does this include their awesome 5 hour inflight video?

Homigosh I watched that when it came out. It was hypnotic.

Last time I checked, the only thing on YT was the safety video and that "10 years" farewell video they posted a few weeks ago. Everything else is gone. Looks like the only thing that's left of the Blah Airlines video is the trailer, which the content creator posted on their own channel:

I wonder how much of that stuff was actually owned by the airline vs. being owned by the Virgin Group. When they terminate the license to use the name in the next year or two, they'd have to pull it all, but it's also possible that there are other, smaller license agreements that are running out before then.

Certainly not assertively saying that it's not a dick move on Alaska's part, but I know that the legal agreements between SRB, the Virgin Group, and its partner airlines are super complex, and this may have a less malicious backstory.

It very well could be a licensing issue. That said I'd bet that Alaska doesn't want any reminders of their bad assimilation of VX.

You will be able to see a live version of that in person just as soon as the AS planes come to transcons out of SFO/LAX :)

Ive been stuck on an Alaska Air 737 for just under 8 hours before (massive headwinds on MIA/SEA years ago), and while not fun, the digetablet + power point was well used!

Will miss RED and seatback entertainment, but Bring Your Own Device seems to be the new fad. :/

This is extremely sad. Is Alaska basically trying to wipe Virgin America from history?

Sure... Two reasons for that.

1) Tech oriented passengers already have devices they'd prefer to use.
2) The airlines save money by not buying/maintaining/transporting all the equipment for the seat back displays.

Personal, while I do like the seat back displays, as log as the power and wi-fi works reliably I can live with this change. It's all the other changes AS is making that are driving me away.

Absolutely... Rule #1 , hide/destroy all evidence of the crime. ;-)

I agree it's likely licensing issue. Not surprising since there's no reason to keep the channels post 4/24.

Then it must be related to licensing the Virgin name, not specifically the content. Nearly all their social content was self-produced. Most of their instagram photos didn't even feature the VX logo but shots of cabin interiors, public events, locataions they served, etc. I'm more inclined to think Alaska just wants to bury the brand and move on.

I think everything is coming down to the 25th due to the licensing nature of the Virgin brands. I can ping someone working on a Virgin-branded project and see if that's the case.

If not, I'm sure someone wants their pound of flesh from AS :o