Here’s one airline that looks as though it will do okay, oil crisis or no oil crisis.

And that’s Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic. The “mother-ship” was unveiled today in California’s Mojave Desert, and it is an impressive piece of design.

Even more impressive is that fact that 250 people have signed up to ride it into sub-orbital space and get 4-minutes of weightlessness. Ticket price: $200, 000.

Branson said he and his family will go up first, but it’s not clear when that first flight will take place. Branson says “family” includes his Mom and Dad.

I couldn’t find out how old his parents are, but I can tell you that Sir Richard turned 58 this month.

UPDATE: According to the Guardian, Branson’s mother Eve is 89 and his father Ted is 91. Good for them!