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Virgin America looks to win U.S. approval

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Virgin America looks to win U.S. approval

SmarterTravel

Josh Roberts believes the best trips involve long hikes and muddy boots. His life goals haven't changed much since he was a kid: He still wants to be Indiana Jones when he grows up.

Follow him on Twitter (@joshwhowrites) and Instagram (@joshwhowrites), and visit his website (joshrobertsbooks.com) or Goodreads page to learn more about his forthcoming novel.

Josh joined SmarterTravel in 2001, and is an active member in both the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI).

In addition to SmarterTravel, he has written for USA Today, The Boston Globe, Yahoo! Travel, The Huffington Post, Airfarewatchdog, TripAdvisor, Jetsetter, ABC News, Oyster, and Business Insider. His travel photography can be seen in Britain and Ireland's Best Wild Places, published by Penguin UK.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: "A lacrosse ball. It's small, lightweight, and works wonders on loosening up tight muscles."

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: "Being the first to discover an ancient lost city. Failing that, visiting as many of the already-discovered ancient ruins as possible."

Travel Motto: "Not all those who wander are lost." -J.R.R. Tolkien

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: "Aisle."

See recent posts by Josh Roberts
joshwhowrites @joshwhowrites

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Wannabe startup airline Virgin America, which was rebuffed by federal regulators late last year in its initial bid to earn clearance to begin operations, is changing its ownership mix in hopes of winning government approval.

The airline has “changed agreements with minority owner Richard Branson’s Virgin Group in an effort to meet U.S. ownership requirements,” reports Bloomberg News (via The Los Angeles Times).

The airline hopes this move will make it acceptable to U.S. regulators, who first denied the would-be carrier’s operating license for having too much of a foreign ownership stake. Skeptics (OK, me) have maintained all along that the real issue here is not foreign ownership so much as it is fear of competition from a certain cowardly domestic carrier and its ilk.

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And why wouldn’t the U.S. airlines be afraid? If I were the kind of airline that thought eliminating free pretzels on domestic flights was a winning idea, I certainly wouldn’t want to see another carrier enter the fray promising broadband access, nine-inch seatback TVs, interactive games, movies on demand, and a touch screen to order in-flight food.

Then again, as a traveler I sure would welcome it.

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