Virgin dominates in Airline Passenger Experience awards

Virgin airlines have dominated the Passenger Choice Awards in Seattle overnight.

Virgin Australia won in three of 14 categories with its V Australia international arm.

The awards include best in Asia/Pacific region, best inflight entertainment user interface and best food and beverages.

V Australia was pretty chuffed by the awards, saying they were " a great compliment for an airline that has been operating for two and a half years."

The airline can thank Australian chef Luke Mangan for its success in the food and beverage category, but it owes its success in the inflight entertainment area to its American cousin Virgin America, which designed the excellent 'red' entertainment system for its small fleet of domestic planes shuttling passengers across the US.

Virgin Australia confirmed just days ago that it will be fitting the 'red' system in two of its new Airbus A330s to be delivered in April next year.

The winners of the 2011 Passenger Choice Awards are:

• Best Overall Passenger Experience (Over 50 IFE EQUIPPED IN FLEET) – Emirates
• Best Overall Passenger Experience (Up to 50 IFE EQUIPPED IN FLEET) – Virgin America
• Best in Region: Africa – South African Airways
• Best in Region: Americas – Virgin America
• Best in Region: Asia and Australasia – V Australia
• Best in Region: Europe – Virgin Atlantic 
• Best in Region: Middle East – Emirates
• Best Inflight Publication – Avianca
• Best IFE User Interface – V Australia
• Best Inflight Connectivity & Communications – Oman Air
• Best Inflight Video – Virgin America
• Best Cabin Ambiance – JetBlue
• Best Food & Beverage in conjunction with IFSA – V Australia
• Best Ground Experience – Virgin America

APEX also gave a special "Avion" award for Best Single Achievement in Passenger Experience to Air New Zealand for its innovative Skycouch, which Australian Business Traveller has also favourably reviewed.

The Passenger Choice Awards are created by the Airline Passenger Experience Assocation, which runs a large airline expo each year in the USA.

However, the travelling public determines the winners through their voting, and the research is conducted by the Nielsen Company to assure integrity of the results. There are no commercial sponsors or advertisers associated with the awards.

danwarne