Bob Mould is a man always on the lookout for a new challenge. After Hüsker Dü (one of the most celebrated rock bands ever) folded in 1988, Mould would helm another powerful trio, Sugar, before beginning a fascinating, ongoing series of solo releases that have ranged from introspective to danceable, from melodic to nearly chaotic. The enigmatic guitar (and cultural) hero is finishing up what promises to be a fascinating memoir to be published next year and has just released a rock-solid solo disc, Life And Times. Read our new Q&A with him and earlier ones from 2008 and 2002. Mould will be guest editing magnetmagazine.com all this week.
Mould: The past few years have been heavy travel years for me. The combination of traditional touring and BLOWOFF DJ events means I am spending more time in the air. The airline industry has been under a lot of pressure, both due to the price of fuel and occasional safety issues. I am sympathetic to the difficulties of running an airline, but sometimes I wonder if certain airlines are listening to their customers. Occasionally, a company sets out to change the average customer experience, and in the case of Virgin America, they may well have succeeded. Virgin America is one of the newer domestic airlines, with service to limited destinations. I remember how revolutionary Virgin Atlantic seemed in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and Virgin America has captured that same magic.
On every trip I have taken through VA, I was met by a friendly counter staff who truly seem to enjoy their work. Transactions at the counter have been painless, and they are not as heavy-handed on checked-bag weight overages as some airlines. (I have had terrible experiences with Northwest.) At the boarding gate, the staff are both professional and light-hearted, making pleasantries with the passengers while covering all the necessary FAA guidelines for passenger safety information. Once inside the plane, it is as if you have entered a swank lounge. Yes, it’s still coach, but the modern lighting and seat designs are a welcome change from some airlines who rely on an older fleet of planes.
The in-seat entertainment component includes a good selection of television and movies, plus a relatively deep audio library, from which you can create your own in-flight playlist. If you somehow end up seated away from your traveling party, you can keep in touch via seat-to-seat chat. (Other creative uses come to mind.) Many of the flights offer Wi-Fi; I am torn on this, only for the possibility of someone viewing something that might be inappropriate for the eyes of young children. To me, the crowning achievement is the food and drink service. Once the plane reaches a comfortable cruising altitude, the flight attendants make their initial run through the plane with the beverage cart. After that first run, you order food and drink through the on-screen menu, run a credit card through the screen or handset, and within seconds, your order is delivered. No more carts in the aisles!
There are a few drawbacks, however. What you gain with the on-screen service, which is embedded in the seat in front of you, you might lose your patience if a younger traveler is seated behind you, constantly punching the screen and disturbing your quiet time. I have also had problems with the self check-in kiosks at the terminal. There seems to be a recurring glitch that happens when attempting to pay for extra checked bags with a credit card. But all in all, Virgin America has reinvented several aspects of air travel, and I heartily recommend using them if your travel takes you anywhere along their service routes. Try not to punch the seat in front of you, though—on any flight.
