Virgin Air makes news around the world

There's a 95 percent chance Senior Editor Christine Sarkis is thinking about travel right now. Follow her on Instagram @postcartography and Twitter @ChristineSarkis.

Christine Sarkis is an SATW-award-winning journalist and executive editor at SmarterTravel. Her stories have also appeared on USA Today, Conde Nast Traveler, Huffington Post, and Business Insider. Her advice has been featured in dozens of print and online publications including The New York Times, Conde Nast Traveler, and People magazine. She has also shared travel tips on television and radio shows including Good Morning America, Marketplace, and Here & Now. Her work has been published in the anthologies Spain from a Backpack and The Best Women's Travel Writing 2008. She is currently working on a travel memoir.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: The Trtl Pillow. It's easy to pack and comfortable, and makes it so I can actually sleep on flights.

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: Seeing the Aurora Borealis from the comfort of somewhere warm, like a glass igloo or hot spring.

Travel Motto: Curiosity is an amazing compass.

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: Aisle all the way.

Email Christine Sarkis at editor@smartertravel.com.

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Virgin has been in the news a lot lately, so I thought I’d dust off the old lasso and do a quick roundup.

A step closer to domestic service

Virgin America, the new San Francisco-based carrier due to begin flying in August, has received its operating license, an indication that it has passed U.S. aviation safety standards. Now that the airline has cleared the final hurdle, it can gear up to start selling tickets. Reuters has more.

All business

Various sources, including Business Travel News Online, are reporting that Virgin Atlantic is planning to launch its own all-business-class carrier within the next year and a half. The airline will connect New York with points in Europe, and will compete with other transatlantic all-business-class carriers such as Eos, Maxjet, and Silverjet.

Coming up from down under

If Virgin Blue has its way, Australia-bound U.S. passengers may get another carrier choice soon. According to this ATWOnline article, Virgin’s Australia-based airline has filed an application to operate 10 Australia-U.S. flights per week starting in November 2008.

That would pretty dramatically increase the options for passengers, since currently only Qantas and United fly between the two countries.

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