Virgin America Takes Top Spot In Latest Airline Quality Rating Report

SAN FRANCISCO, April 7, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- For the second straight year, Virgin America was named the top-ranked airline in the Airline Quality Rating (AQR), an annual analysis of airline performance conducted by Wichita State University and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Based on publicly reported data all carriers must submit to the U.S. Department of Transportation, the AQR provides a comparative ranking of how airlines stack up against each other on key metrics important to consumers including:  on-time performance, customer complaints, denied boarding and mishandled bags. Last year Virgin America topped the same ranking in the first year it was eligible for the AQR, which only ranks airlines that make up at least 1 percent of domestic scheduled-service revenue.

"We're honored and proud to have once again secured the top spot in the Airline Quality Rating – a venerable ranking that is entirely based on objective and quantifiable measurements – for the second straight year," said Virgin America Chief Operating Officer Steve Forte. "As a young airline, our goal from day one has been to reinvent flying for the better.  Our Teammates have shown that in addition to the innovative, award-winning guest experience we're known for – we also work hard every day to run an excellent operation and deliver on our promise to guests."

With top-notch guest service, beautiful design and a variety of innovative amenities, Virgin America has earned a host of industry awards since launching service in 2007. Virgin America offers guests sleek, tech-forward aircraft cabins with custom-designed seating, fleetwide in-flight WiFi, signature moodlighting, power outlets near every seat and the Red™ in-flight entertainment system. The Red^™ platform offers guests on every Virgin America flight their own seatback screen, with 25 films, live TV, interactive Google Maps, videogames, a 6,000 song library and an on-demand menu, which allows flyers to order a cocktail or snack from their seatback any time during a flight.

In addition to a Main Cabin that offers custom-designed leather seating with a deeper, more comfortable pitch, the airline's First Class offers white leather seating with 55 inches of pitch, 165 degrees of recline and lumbar massagers. The carrier's Main Cabin Select option offers 38-inches of pitch, free food and cocktails, an all-access pass to media content, dedicated overhead bins and priority check-in/boarding. In 2012, Virgin America opened its first airport lounge, The Loft at LAX, and rolled out enhancements to its Elevate frequent flyer program — including status levels.

Since its 2007 launch, Virgin America has created 2,700 jobs and expanded its network to include San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Newark, Washington D.C. (IAD and DCA), Las Vegas, San Diego, Seattle, Boston, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Dallas-Fort Worth, Los Cabos, Cancun, Chicago, Puerto Vallarta, Palm Springs (seasonal), Philadelphia, Portland and Austin.

Photos of Virgin America's unique aircraft: http://www.virginamerica.com/vx/photos

Broadcast quality video b-roll of Virgin America's unique cabins and destination footage can also be downloaded here.

About Virgin America: Headquartered in California's Silicon Valley and known for its mood-lit cabins, three beautifully designed classes of service and innovative fleetwide amenities — like touch-screen personal entertainment, WiFi and power outlets at every seat, Virgin America has built a loyal following of flyers and earned a host of awards since launching in 2007 — including being named both the "Best U.S. Airline" in Conde Nast Traveler's Readers' Choice Awards and "Best Domestic Airline" in Travel + Leisure's World's Best Awards for the past six consecutive years. In April 2013, Virgin America topped the 2012 Airline Quality Rating, a research project conducted by faculty at Wichita State University and Purdue University that analyzes airline operational performance as reported by the Department of Transportation. The airline's base of operations is San Francisco International Airport (SFO)'s sleek and sustainable Terminal 2. Virgin America has created 2,700 jobs and flies to San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Newark, Washington D.C. (IAD and DCA), Las Vegas, San Diego, Seattle, Boston, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Dallas-Fort Worth, Los Cabos, Cancun, Chicago, Puerto Vallarta, Palm Springs (seasonal), Philadelphia, Portland and Austin. The Red^™ touch-screen entertainment platform offers guests on every Virgin America flight their own seatback screen, with 25 films, live TV, interactive Google Maps, videogames, a 6,000 song library and an on-demand menu, which allows flyers to order a cocktail or snack from their seatback any time during a flight. In addition to a Main Cabin that offers custom-designed leather seating with a deeper, more comfortable pitch, the airline's First Class offers white leather seating with 55 inches of pitch, 165 degrees of recline and lumbar massagers. The carrier's Main Cabin Select option offers 38-inches of pitch, free food and cocktails, an all-access pass to media content, dedicated overhead bins and priority check-in/boarding. In 2012, Virgin America opened its first airport lounge, The Loft at LAX, and rolled out enhancements to its Elevate frequent flyer program — including status levels. For more: www.virginamerica.com

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090123/VIRGINAMERICALOGO

SOURCE Virgin America