Virgin America fans ask if Alaska Airlines takeover will mean loss of cool

For younger business travelers like Nicole Bansal, Virgin America’s mood lighting, customer service and technology have filled a niche not found on legacy airlines. Bansal, 29, flies Virgin America nearly monthly for her job as a Silicon Valley marketing manager and has become one of the airline’s legion of fiercely loyal fans. But now, with a $4b takeover by Alaska Airlines in the works, Bansal worries she will lose the unique touches that helped her click with Virgin America. “I like Alaska, I don’t love Alaska. But I love Virgin,” she said. “I think of it as a young, hip airline. Alaska is more of a friendly aunt.” Travellers like Bansal are wondering what to expect from Virgin America under its new parent company: skinny jeans and stilettos, or sweatshirts and sneakers. After all, Alaska started in 1932 with a single three-seat plane owned by an Anchorage furrier, while Virgin America was founded by a flashy British billionaire less than a decade ago with a goal of restoring glamour to flying. With the purchase making its way through the monthslong regulatory process, Bobbie Egan, an Alaska spokeswoman, said the airline did not yet know which Virgin characteristics would be retained in the new company. But she acknowledged that Alaska realizes Virgin fans are serious about the brand. “We want to take some time over the next few months and home in on what it is their customers love,” Ms. Egan said. “We want this integration to be very successful.”<br/>