http://news.airwise.com/stories/2003/11/1069869387.html Saturday November 29, 2003 Branson Asks Arnie To Save LA Superjumbo Flights November 26, 2003=20 British entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson has asked California Governor = Arnold Schwarzenegger to help rescue plans to fly the world's biggest = passenger plane into Los Angeles. Branson's Virgin Atlantic will be among the first airlines to fly the = Airbus A380 but is worried Los Angeles Airport will not make changes = needed to accommodate the mammoth double-deckers due in 2006. "Unfortunately it currently seems that the airport will not have the = facilities to handle an aircraft of this size," Branson said in a letter = sent to Schwarzenegger this week. A Virgin spokeswoman said on Wednesday it was also in discussion with = Airbus, which is working with several airports on changes needed for the = A380. One of eight airlines that have ordered the planes, Virgin said in a = statement only two of nine airports in its plans were ready. Branson, a fervent aviation buff who flies hot-air balloons and begged = rival British Airways to allow Virgin to save the supersonic Concorde = from retirement, asked Schwarzenegger to help ensure Los Angeles remains = open to the A380. "For a great and world-leading airport not to be able to support this = revolutionary new aircraft would be a blow to its and California's = reputation globally," he said. He added that Los Angeles might also figure in Virgin's plans to set up = a low-fares carrier in the United States next year. (Reuters) http://news.airwise.com/stories/2003/11/1069869387.html