TORONTO — After almost 10 years, Virgin is poised to return to Canadian skies – though as a different carrier and with different destinations than the last go-round in 2001.

California-based Virgin America says it intends to offer daily flights from both L.A. and San Francisco to Toronto, starting as early as June 2010, pending approval from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to fly between the U.S. and Canada.

If approved, Toronto would become the airline’s first international destination, with one nonstop daily flight and one daily through flight each between LAX-YYZ and SFO-YYZ.

Vancouver flights are also a possibility in the next few years. According to reports the airline is aiming for 100 planes and a network of 25 cities in North America by 2015 or so, up from the current 28 planes and 10 U.S. cities. Virgin America was launched in 2007 and says it anticipates major growth in 2010, with six additional aircraft entering its fleet this year and three additional aircraft scheduled for the first quarter of 2011.

By this time next year, the airline’s fleet will have grown by almost one-third.

Along with the proposed Toronto flight, Virgin is also adding service to California from Orlando. Three additional destinations will be announced this year as well.

“With strong financial performance, a new ownership structure and growth in fleet size, we’re pleased to be able to expand to world-class destinations like Orlando and Toronto this year,” said Virgin America president and CEO David Cush. “Both cities are major travel destinations from the West Coast, and we’re looking forward to introducing our service to travellers in these and other new markets in 2010 and beyond.”

In June 2001 Virgin Atlantic launched service between Toronto and London Gatwick, with much fanfare and a gala industry event hosted by Virgin empire founder Sir Richard Branson. The route was cancelled not long after 9/11.