Virgin America and V Australia Host Official Party of the Sunset Strip Music Festival at Andaz West Hollywood

Virgin America and V Australia Host Official Party of the Sunset Strip Music Festival at Andaz West Hollywood

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Virgin America, the award-winning California-based airline that is reinventing domestic air travel, today announced it is teaming up with Australia's newest trans-Pacific airline, V Australia to host the official party of the second annual Sunset Strip Music Festival (SSMF). The SSMF is a three-day music festival running from September 10th through September 12th that will showcase a number of the Strip's most renowned clubs and up and coming bands. As the official airline of the SSMF, Virgin America will bring together festival fans from across the country to help celebrate the Sunset Strip's vibrant musical legacy by hosting a star-studded party on the rooftop at Andaz West Hollywood.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090123/VIRGINAMERICALOGO)

"Music is part of our DNA as a brand. Virgin America offers music fans the largest content library in the skies - from on-demand music videos to a 3000 MP3 library that features fresh new artists," said Porter Gale, Vice President of Marketing at Virgin America. "As the only California-based airline, we're proud to celebrate the Sunset Strip's legendary musical past and help support the up-and-coming artists of today."

Virgin America features the largest in-flight entertainment library in the domestic skies - via the touch screen Red(TM) platform at every seatback. In addition to a 25-film library, live TV, music videos and video games at every seat, Red offers a library of over 3,000 MP3s and allows guests the ability to create their own playlist in-flight. The airline is also known for featuring a diverse range of artists on its in-flight library, including, Silversun Pickups, TV on the Radio and Au Revoir Simone.

V Australia Executive General Manager, Scott Swift said, "As a new Australian airline that is already proving a hit with musicians traveling trans-Pacific, we are all about providing rock-star treatment to all our guests on board our flights, so it's very fitting we are teaming up with Virgin America to co-host the official party of the Sunset Strip Music Festival. It's a terrific partnership and one we are proud of and we are especially excited for fellow Aussie, Ry Cuming, who will no doubt give a sensational acoustic performance at the party."

The lineup for the second annual Sunset Strip Music Festival include Ozzy Osbourne, KORN, The Donnas, Shiny Toy Guns, Pepper, Kottonmouth Kings, LMFAO, Unwritten Law, Fishbone, Iglu & Hartly, Iration and Shwayze. Clubs participating include The Roxy Theater, House of Blues, The Cat Club, Whiskey A-Go-Go, Key Club and The Viper Room. For the first time ever, Sunset Strip (between Doheny Drive and San Vicente Boulevard) will be closed to host two concert stages on Saturday, September 12.

"We are proud to welcome back Virgin America and to team up with V Australia for the second annual Sunset Strip Music Festival," said Karmen Beck, Director of the music festival. "Virgin is a perfect fit with the electric energy that surrounds the Sunset Strip Music Festival and we're delighted about the partnership."

Guests at the official party of the Sunset Strip Music Festival will be able to make a donation and enter to win roundtrip travel on V Australia and Virgin America. All proceeds and a matching donation will be given to the Los Angeles Firemen's Relief Association's Widows, Orphans and Disabled Firemen's Fund. For more information about the Los Angeles Firemen's Relief Association visit www.LAFRA.org.

Virgin America flies to San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Washington D.C., Seattle, Las Vegas, San Diego, Boston, Orange County and as of Nov. 18, 2009 - South Florida (Fort Lauderdale). The airline currently offers daily flights from: SFO to LAX, SFO to JFK, SFO to SAN, SFO to IAD, SFO to LAS, LAX to JFK, LAX to IAD, SFO to SEA, SEA to LAX, JFK to LAS, BOS to LAX, BOS to SFO and SFO to SNA. Virgin America has flown close to five million guests since its inaugural flights in August 2007 and now counts over 950,000 Elevate loyalty program members.

About Virgin America: Headquartered in California and launched in August 2007, Virgin America is one of the fastest growing start-up U.S. airlines of all time and currently employs over 1500 people. Virgin America offers guests attractive fares and a host of innovative features aimed at reinventing air travel. The airline's base of operations is San Francisco International Airport's modern International Terminal. The airline's new aircraft offer interactive in-flight entertainment systems and power outlets near every seat for electronic gear. Virgin America offers in-flight internet service on every flight and hosts the largest in-flight entertainment library in the U.S. skies via its touch-screen Red(TM) seatback system. In just two years flying, the airline was named "Best Domestic Airline" in the Conde Nast Traveler 2008 Readers' Choice Awards and in Travel + Leisure's 2008 and 2009 World's Best Awards. Elevate is Virgin America's first-of-its-kind loyalty program, which offers guests the ability to redeem points for any unsold seat - on any Virgin America flight, at any time. Elevate offers Web-based redemption with no black-out dates. For more please visit www.virginamerica.com

EDITORS NOTE: Virgin America is a U.S.-controlled and operated airline and an entirely separate company from Virgin Atlantic. Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group is a minority share investor in Virgin America.

About V Australia and Virgin Blue: V Australia www.vaustralia.com.au is a three class boutique style airline offering the acclaimed service for which the Virgin Blue Group is renowned and a unique Australian style. On board the airline's brand new 361-seat 777-300ER aircraft, configuration includes Business Class cabin with 33 fully lie-flat beds, Premium Economy with 40 International Club seats and 288 International Economy seats. All cabins offer the Red, state-of-the-art personal seat back entertainment, seat to seat "chat" or competition connectivity. The airline also has two in-flight bars, mood lighting including twilight and sunset, bathrooms with piped music including a "ladies only" bathroom and other touches of Australiana from salt and pepper shakers to hidden wallpaper murals. V Australia is a part of the Virgin Blue Group of Airlines. The Australian-based airline group also includes Virgin Blue, second largest carrier in Australia www.virginblue.com.au and short haul international airlines Pacific Blue www.flypacificblue.com Polynesian Blue. Together they operate a fleet comprising of 80 modern Boeing 737-NG's, Boeing 777 and Embraer E-Jet aircraft flying to 28 Australian and 13 international destinations in the South Pacific and Southeast Asia.

About the Sunset Strip Music Festival: The second annual Sunset Strip Music Festival (SSMF; www.ssmf.com) will return to Los Angeles September 10, 11 and 12. Ozzy Osbourne, KORN, Kottonmouth Kings, Pepper, Shwayze and The Donnas are just a few of the 60 confirmed bands set to play. SSMF 2009 will also include an outdoor street festival component with the closure of Sunset Boulevard on Saturday, September 12. (This is the first time a significant portion of The Sunset Strip has been shut down for a music event, and it will allow for outdoor stages and increased attendance.) The Strip's signature venues The Roxy, The Whiskey, Key Club, Viper Room, Cat Club and House of Blues will all be participating. The first SSMF was held in June 2008 with the goal to "promote, preserve and perpetuate the legendary Sunset Strip Music Experience."

About Andaz: Global in scale while local in perspective, Andaz delivers an innovative hospitality experience blending personal preferences with attentive and uncomplicated service. This unique collection of hotels reflects the personality of each locale, and is dedicated to creating natural and vibrant living spaces where travelers can indulge in their own personal sense of comfort and style. The first property, Andaz Liverpool Street, launched in London, in November 2007. The first North American Andaz, Andaz West Hollywood, opened in West Hollywood on January 8, 2009. Subsequent property openings scheduled include Andaz Wall Street (Fall 2009), Andaz Fifth Avenue (Spring 2010) and Andaz Austin (Autumn 2010). For more information, log on to www.andaz.com.

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090123/VIRGINAMERICALOGO
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: Virgin America

CONTACT: Amanda Bolger of V Australia, +61 7 3295 3115,
amanda.bolger@virginblue.com.au; or Patricia Condon of Virgin America,
+1-650-762-7187, patricia.condon@virginamerica.com; or Alexandra Greenberg,
+1-818-380-0400, ext. 223, agreenberg@msopr.com, or Todd Brodginski,
+1-818-380-0400, ext. 239, toddb@msopr.com, both for Sunset Strip Music
Festival

Web Site: http://www.virginamerica.com/

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