V Australia Airline

One of the more popular but most expensive routes in the world is getting some competition, and that means cheaper air fares for Southern California travelers. V Australia, a new airline started by British billionaire Richard Branson, said Monday that it would begin nonstop service between Sydney and Los Angeles International Airport in December with round-trip fares averaging about $250 less than the competition.

A new airline started by flamboyant British billionaire Richard Branson inaugurated service between Los Angeles and Australia on Friday, the latest volley in a transpacific fare war that has already cut the price of a round-trip ticket by half.

A new airline started by flamboyant British billionaire Richard Branson inaugurated service between Los Angeles and Australia on Friday, the latest volley in a transpacific fare war that has already cut the price of a round-trip ticket by half.

One of the more popular but most expensive routes in the world is getting some competition, and that means cheaper air fares for Southern California travelers. V Australia, a new airline started by British billionaire Richard Branson, said Monday that it would begin nonstop service between Sydney and Los Angeles International Airport in December with round-trip fares averaging about $250 less than the competition.

After a three-year hiatus, airlines are bringing back wireless Internet service on planes, allowing business travelers to check their e-mails, browse the Web and log into their corporate networks while in flight. There hasn't been in-flight Internet access since Boeing Co. killed a very expensive, multibillion-dollar project to wire planes all over the world with a satellite-based system.