Virgin America, San Francisco’s hometown airline, today announces its partnership with SF Pride, the nation’s largest LGBT event, for the fourth year in a row. 

As the “Official Airline of SF Pride,” Virgin America will once again partner with the local LGBT Pride Celebration Committee for the world-famous, one-of-a-kind SF Pride Parade and Celebration.  Complete with a contingent of hundreds of Virgin America teammates and a float modeled after the airline’s new “Breath of Fresh Airline™ ad campaign”, Virgin America is bringing the message of “Ride with Pride” to this year’s event. Singer and San Francisco native Aubrey O’Day – formerly of Danity Kane – will help Virgin America teammates celebrate the “Ride with Pride” theme atop the Virgin America float – featuring music spun by local San Francisco DJ, Fifty Pound Note.  SF Pride Parade-goers will also be able to join in the fun by striking a pose in a Virgin America aircraft window cut-out for snapshots that will be featured on Virgin America’s SF Pride photo album on Facebook.  The airline is also inviting its followers around the country to tweet the airline a photo of how they “Ride with Pride” using the hashtag #VXRideWithPride for a chance to win an @VirginAmerica t-shirt.

“As San Francisco’s hometown airline, we couldn’t be more proud to be part of the incredible tradition and celebration that is SF Pride.  The spirit of the Pride celebration defines the Bay Area – and we are honored to once again support SF Pride’s mission to educate and celebrate the LGBT community,” said Porter Gale, Vice President of Marketing at Virgin America. “We’ve worked with SF Pride since our launch and this event is consistently one of the most popular with our teammates.  We’re also thrilled to be flying in thousands of parade-goers from all over the nation – who are kicking off their journeys in fabulous style onboard our moodlit planes.”

As the Official Airline of SF Pride, Virgin America will welcome onboard those traveling from all over the country who will take part in the festivities, including Pride Grand Marshal and Main Stage Headliner, Sandra Bernhard and Academy Award-winning actor and Pride Grand Marshal, Olympia Dukakis.  SF Pride guests from across the nation are flying to San Francisco onboard the city’s hometown airline.  Virgin America offers hip moodlit cabins, fleetwide WiFi and touch-screen personal entertainment systems (with 700 hours of entertainment content, on-demand food and beverage ordering, shopping and more). This year’s parade-goers can also update their Facebook status or tweet about their journey – and even chat up fellow Pride-Paraders onboard via Virgin America’s seat-to-seat chat system at 35,000 feet en route to San Francisco.

“SF Pride is the celebration of the best that is within us – the diversity and depth of the LGBT community,” said Brendan Behan, Interim Executive Director of the LGBT Pride Celebration Committee “We are excited to welcome back Virgin America as our official domestic airline sponsor. Virgin America’s commitment to make flying good again goes hand in hand with their partnership with the world-class event that is San Francisco Pride.”

This year marks the 41st Anniversary of SF Pride, which will be held this weekend.

Since its launch in August 2007, Virgin America has created 2000 new jobs and grown to serve multiple destinations across North America.  As one of the few growing U.S. airlines, Virgin America continues to expand its fleet, growing from its current 39 aircraft to a projected fleet of 52 aircraft by mid-2012.  The low-fare airline has expanded service to Orlando, Dallas-Fort Worth, Los Cabos, Cancun and Chicago in the past six months alone. The airline will add 500 new jobs on annual basis and expand to two-to-three new destinations per year over the next several years. Known for friendly service, beautifully designed cabins and inventive amenities, like touch-screen entertainment at every seat, Virgin America has swept the major reader-based travel awards since its launch, including “Best Domestic Airline” in Conde Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards and Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards.