Airlines are abuzz about Virgin America's upcoming entry.

Byline: John Gillie

Sep. 21--It's an airline without a logo, a fleet, a timetable or even a public route map.

But Virgin America is creating a stir in the airline industry months before its first flight is due to take off.

In the Pacific Northwest, two of the region's biggest aviation businesses, The Boeing Co. and Alaska Airlines, already are feeling the effects of Virgin America's pre-launch activities.

Boeing, along with its rival, Airbus, competed for months to win the new carrier's business. Meanwhile, Alaska, based in the City of SeaTac, is steeling itself for what could be a formidable new West Coast competitor.

The airline is the brainchild of English entrepreneur, adventurer and airline founder Richard Branson. Like other new low-fare carriers, Virgin America has the potential to create financial havoc among the ranks of the United States' traditional carriers already wrestling with ruin.

The airline plans to follow in some part the financially successful path set by discount airlines Southwest and JetBlue and by other carriers that Branson started: Virgin Atlantic Airways, Europe's Virgin Express and Australia's Virgin Blue airways.