FLYING HIGH – VIRGIN ATLANTIC WINS ACCOLADE OF TRAVEL INDUSTRY AWARDS

Virgin Atlantic Airways today collected an award from Business Traveller for the Best Airline for Business Class Travel, to add to several awards collected this year revealing Virgin Atlantic to be a real high flier in the industry.

Throughout 2000 Virgin Atlantic has won an accolade of prestigious awards including Best Transatlantic Airline by Travel Weekly and Best UK Airline by Meetings and Incentive Travel. The Guardian and Observer readers voted Virgin Atlantic ‘Best Business Airline’. Earlier this month Travel Trade Gazette voted it ‘Top Leisure Airline’. Sir Richard Branson also personally received a Jill Dando Award for the best contribution towards travel.

Recently World Airline Entertainment Association awarded the airline’s Inflight entertainment with ‘Best Inflight magazine’ for Hot Air and ‘Best Single Special Purpose Video’ for the destination guides broadcast onboard by Virgin Atlantic won the ‘Best Airline’ category of the annual Ease Awards for the third year running. The Ease awards provide an opportunity for disabled people to nominate companies in retail, leisure, commerce, transport and entertainment who are making a the greatest effort to be accessible to disabled customers, visitors and employees. The Most Parent Friendly Airline was also awarded to Virgin Atlantic by the Tommy’s Campaign Parent Friendly Awards.

Sir Richard Branson, Chairman of Virgin Atlantic Airways, said:

“I am honoured every time I pick up another award on behalf of the airline because I know how much hard work staff have put in to make it happen. I am particularly proud that the airline has been awarded the Ease award for the third year running – it proves how committed our staff are to ensuring customers with special needs have a smooth journey.

“I have always said that the best way to keep passengers happy is to keep our staff happy and awards like this help to put a smile on the faces of all our staff worldwide.”