San Francisco-- July 9, 2008 -- Virgin America, the California-based airline that is reinventing domestic air travel, today took the top honors as “Best Domestic Airline” in the prestigious Travel + Leisure Annual World’s Best Awards readers’ survey.

“We're delighted to welcome so many new winners this year, said Nancy Novogrod, Editor-in-Chief of Travel + Leisure. “Virgin America came on strong in its very first year of service, winning the prize for Best Domestic Airline.”


“Virgin America was launched just last year with the goal of creating a different kind of airline: one built around providing an upscale, innovative, high-value customer experience for smart travelers in the urban destinations we serve,” said Virgin America Chief Executive Officer David Cush. “So, we couldn’t be more honored to take the top award as Best Domestic Airline from Travel + Leisure’s readers -- those who fly the most and expect the very best in design, comfort and service in all their travel choices.”

The complete 2008 results, including the Top 100 Hotels Worldwide, Top 100 Hotels in the Continental U.S. + Canada, and Top 10 Cities in the World, are featured on www.travelandleisure.com/worldsbest now and in Travel + Leisure’s August issue, available on newsstands July 22, 2008.

“These awards are certainly not a finish line,” Cush said. “It shows that we are moving in the right direction, but our goal from the start was to design an airline by listening to what travelers actually want. We’ve already implemented customer suggestions taken from our seatback video-screens from some of our very first August 2007 flights. We may not be the biggest, but we aim to be the most innovative, customer-facing and best in the domestic airline market.”

The Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards winners for 2008, including Virgin America’s Cush, will be honored in New York City on July 24, 2008, at an awards luncheon at the Four Seasons Restaurant, followed by a gala event at Hudson Terrace that evening.

Oh Please Dude! Did you see the rest of the list? #2 Midwest,
#3 SunCountry, ...Both are at the top of the list for next Chapter 7 BK or at a minimum have announced huge furloughs while they park 1/3 of their fleets. All that fancy service on VA costs A LOT more than what the current ticket prices can cover, despite the dismal pilot pay. I am glad you have a good product, but that does not change the fact that VA's survival is less than a 50/50 proposition.

I think 50/50 is optimistic. If not for Sir Richard's ego, VA would have already followed in Skybus' footsteps.

The ax may be falling over there as we type.

PlaneBuzz

Cheers
Wino

The AXE not ax is going to fall on lot of other carriers including the high and mighty airlines here in U.S. before it comes down on Virgin America.I can feel there is plenty of jealousy because Virgin America took this honour.

Virgin America deserved it and they took it.

Capt.Doom n Gloom,Virgin America is in a whole different league so kindly stop comparing it to Skybus,VA is based on a very different model.

Virgin America is here to stay and its going to be the next Legacy carrier.

Wow you actually believe all of that B.S. that they feed you from headquarters don't you. Don't worry if (and when) VA goes under, I'm sure sir Richard will have a special place for you under his desk.

Relax man I'm just having some fun!

Funny how this site controls flamers...as long as you're hammering VX that's OK. Jealousy runs deeper than just posters here.

The cool aide from hq is pretty sweet (Gordon Bierch) so that ain't so bad. I know this place could be a longshot, but sometimes those pay out the best. How many JetBluers got this kinda flak when they first started up? I was too busy trying to figure out the noisy Fokker when they fired up, so I don't remember but I'm sure it was similar.
__________________________________________________ ___________
I was like a one-man army, like Charlton Heston in "Omega Man." You ever see it? Beauty.

Spin and 320, Are you two customers or pilots? Like I said, I am happy you have a nice product, but that alone won't keep you working or making a decent wage. This is a pilot forum, and to a pilot there are three (Big 3) measures of how good an airline is: Job security, Pay, and quality of life. Big pax seats, lots of leg room, good food, and nice TVs are just splendid; but they don't mean a thing to a pilot if the airline can't come close to charging enough to pay for it all. Southwest is by most standards the most successful airline ever...and the only frill they offer is a big smile (because those are free). Again #2 and 3 on that glorious list of the "best domestic airlines" are at the bottom when it comes to the big 3. Midwest has their famous cookies, big ole seats and all kinds of room...they are parking 30% of their fleet with the associated furloughs. Sun Country same. For a good pilot career it is the bottom line that counts, and the bottom line is very precarious at "the best domestic airline right now". If you boys just step back and look at the business for a second, your rose colored glasses won't work anymore.
- Started up an airline based in the most saturated and expensive markets in the world.
- Trying to grow in an enviroment that has never been this hostile to the industry.
- Competing against much larger, firmly established carriers.
- Lost 20% of their start up capital in the first 1/2 quarter. And that in what is usually a strong quarter for airlines.
- Vigorously fighting to keep their losses a secret...presumably to prevent investor panic and competitors from exploiting their weaknesses.
- 10 months after start they are already scaling back growth plans.

So lets recap: Am I jealous VA guys don't really know if they will have a job in 6 months...NO
Am, I jealous VA guys get paid RJ wages to fly 150+ pax jets...NO...just mad people will fly for that!
Quality of life...don't know, but mine is fine...so not jealous there either.

The point of my first post was that the award is meaningless to pilots...When VA is profitable and paying pilots what they should be paid, I will be back here as fast as possible to say YOU WERE RIGHT!!!! Until then, VA pilots have absolutely nothing to brag about, and I do not personally know any pilots who are in the least bit envious.