Virgin Australia is a big winner in the 2017 AirlineRatings.com Excellence Awards taking out Best Business Class, Best Cabin Crew and being named in the global Top Ten. 

AirlineRatings.com the world’s only airline safety and product rating website promotes excellence and innovation in the airline industry and the pinnacle of these efforts is its Airline Excellence Awards. 

Best Business Class

For the first time, Virgin Australia has taken out this much sought after award with its “The Business” suite which is more First Class than Business Class.

The major plus for this product is the bed with its triple-layer seat cushion supported by a hammock sub-frame which almost guarantees perfect slumber.

Importantly there is plenty of space for gadgets and shelf-space to place one’s laptop while dining.

“The Business” suite cocoons the traveler and gives the maximum of privacy. The product is available on all the airline’s A330s and Boeing 777s.

Read Geoffrey Thomas’s review of Virgin Australia’s business class here;

Best Cabin Crew

This award has once again been won by Virgin Australia and its affiliated Virgin Group airlines –Virgin Atlantic and Virgin America. 
According to AirlineRatings.com Editor-in-Chief Geoffrey Thomas “Virgin Australia’s cabin crew treat every passenger whether in row 1 or at the back of the aircraft as a special guest.”

“Their commitment to their passengers is outstanding and is a benchmark of what cabin service should be.”

World Ranking

To be named in the Top Ten, airlines must achieve a seven-star safety rating and demonstrate leadership in innovation for passenger comfort.

AirlineRatings.com developed its unique seven-star rating system after two years of evaluation and consultation with the industry’s governing body the International Civil Aviation Organization.

For the yearly ranking the editors of AirlineRatings.com, some of the most experienced and awarded, combine four major international industry and government audits, with another nine key criteria that include: fleet age, passenger review ratings, profitability, investment rating and key product offerings to arrive at a ranking.

“We are looking for leadership, airlines that innovate to make a real difference to the passenger experience particularly in economy class,” said Mr Thomas.

This year Virgin Australia is a big mover jumping from 7th to 5th.