Attention travelers: Virgin adds SF/NYC flights from Palm Springs

Good news for air travelers. The paper reports: "Virgin America has added a seasonal direct flight from Palm Springs to New York, with a stop in San Francisco. The San Francisco-based airline, which began flying in August 2007, added three palm trees to its website with a banner reading: 'Get some playtime in Palm Springs.' The direct flight on a 149-seat Airbus A320 aircraft begins Dec.15 and flies through April 30. Virgin America will fly out of Palm Springs International Airport as part of the city's Airline Marketing Incentive Program, which will provide $60,000.Palm Springs International, which serves 1.5 million annual passengers, now has 11 carriers and 20 direct destinations during the peak season. For New Yorkers and other East Coast travelers, it removes a deterrent from visiting the Palm Springs market — the time it takes and money it costs to get here. Palm Springs provides Virgin America with its 16th destination. The airline's hub is at San Francisco International Airport, so Palm Springs passengers also can catch flights to Boston and Washington, D.C. The company plans to grow its fleet to 52 aircraft by mid-2012. This year, Virgin America launched service to Orlando, Dallas-Fort Worth, Los Cabos, Cancun and Chicago." Miss Penny Lane says: Palermo Palm Springs is her hub.