Google inks deal with Virgin for in-flight YouTube

Google has signed a deal to provide in-flight YouTube videos on Virgin America airlines.

The company said that it had agreed to provide featured videos as part of the airline's in-flight entertainment package.

Rather than offer access to the full YouTube video library, Google will provide videos from several popular series to the airlines. The company hopes that the deal will spark interest in the series and bring additional traffic to the site.

While the service will be limited to Virgin America flights in the US and Mexico, the company hinted that further deals could be in the works.

"Bringing YouTube aboard Virgin America is part of a larger effort to bring you more of the videos you love, at heights you've never seen them before," Google YouTube marketing manager Kate Berland wrote in a company blog post.

"Sample these great series on your flight, and then visit YouTube to enjoy the full seasons."

The deal comes as YouTube is recording some its highest ever traffic levels. Recently, the service reported that the hit music video 'Gangnam Style' had become its most popular ever by amassing some 826 million views.

For Virgin, the agreement is the latest in a long-standing relationship with the consumer technology sector. The airline was among the first to offer in-fligh Wi-Fi service to passengers and earlier this year it announced plans to allow mobile calls during flights in a limited capacity.