Virgin America, the low-cost airline based in California, the United States, is teaming up with YouTube for the YouTube Live – YouTube’s first official “real-world user event” on November 22, 2008.

On November 22, Virgin America will launch its Gogo(r) in-flight internet service in a flight over San Francisco when the first air-to-ground video streaming will take place.

The carrier’s first Wi-Fi-enabled plane will circle the skies above San Francisco during the YouTube Live event, and a segment of the YouTube Live concert in San Francisco will be streamed from 35,000 feet to an audience on the ground as well as online.

The Wi-Fi lounge in the plane will be equipped with HP notebooks. Several personalities popular with YouTube users will help produce video streams for transmission below to the YouTube Live event, which is billed as “part concert, part variety show, and part party.”

Virgin America started operations on August 8, 2007, with the aim of “providing low-fare, high-quality service for long-haul point-to-point service between major metropolitan cities on the United Statres’ East Coast and West Coast seaboards.” San Francisco International Airport is Virgin America’s principal base of operations. The airline’s new Airbus A320-family aircraft offer interactive in-flight entertainment systems and power outlets for electronic gear. Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group has a 25% share in Virgin America.

In a press release, YouTube said: “The November 22 event – YouTube Live – is part concert, part variety show and part party, and will bring together some of the amazing videos and individuals that have contributed towards making YouTube what it is today. The show will feature internet-born stars like Soulja Boy Tell’em, Esmee Denters, and ‘Canon Rock’ virtuoso Funtwo, as well as internet-savvy mainstream starts like Will. I. Am and Akon.”

In addition to YouTube stars, 30 Rock’s Keith Powell will be part of the show and film a segment in-flight for his web mini-series with co-star Katrina Bowden.

After the flight, the guests will be taken to the YouTube Live event in progress at Fort Mason, San Francisco.
Gogo (r), powered by Aircell, turns a commercial airplane into a Wi-Fi hotspot with in-flight internet access. Passengers with Wi-Fi enabled devices, such as laptops, smartphones and PDAs can surf the Web and check any e-mail or Instant  Message.

Porter Gale, vice-president of marketing, Virgin America, said in a statement: “Virgin America is harnessing the best in technology and design to reinvent flying, by giving our guests A-list amenities and more control – with features like the unrivaled content platform on our touch-screen Red system, seat-to-seat chat, and power outlets at every seat. YouTube has revolutionised the way people connect, inspire and entertain, and YouTube Live offers the perfect opportunity to launch a whole new platform for communicating – our inflight Wi-Fi service.”

“The YouTube Live event flight,” Gale added, “will serve as the beta launch of the Gogo(r) in-flight internet service on Virgin America. Launching with one Wi-Fi enabled aircraft available to guests from November 24, 2008, Virgin America will be the first United States-based carrier to offer in-flight internet fleet-wide by the second quarter of 2009.”

According to Chris Di Cesare, head of marketing for YouTube, “Wi-Fi at 35,000 feet will be game changing for the YouTube community.”