Virgin America signs lease for Bay Area headquarters

"The Bay Area is one of the most desirable places in the world to live and it's also one of the most desirable in which to do business,'' Todd Pawlowski, Virgin America's vice president of airports and guest services, said in a statement.

Virgin America reports that it plans to move into its new office by March of this year, creating some 1,500 new jobs within its first two years of operation.

After the initial start-up phase is completed, Virgin America reportedly expects to create at least 3,000 new jobs nationwide within its first five years of existence.

"The new jobs created by Virgin America will represent a significant economic boom to the San Francisco Bay Area, which is a rich talent pool filled with energetic, creative people we'll need in order to create the new airline,'' Pawlowski said.

Prior to choosing the Bay Area for its headquarters, Virgin America reported looking at Boston, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. to house its airline.

"The region and state offered attractive incentives to help the airline meet its low-cost objectives,'' Deberah Bringelson, president and CEO of the San Mateo County Economic Development Authority and Peninsula Policy Partnership, said.

The Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration must give the airline and its fleet safety approval before any flights take off, according to Virgin America's Web site.

The airline will be prepared to fly in mid-2006, but that may change depending on how long it takes for the airline to become certified by the FAA and the Department of Transportation to offer transportation in the United States, said Virgin America spokeswoman Stacy Geagan.

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