These days, flying isn't what it used to be. With most airlines, gone is the glamor of air travel, the comfort and ease of getting to your destination by plane. But there's a reason Virgin Australia's motto is "We're putting the magic back into flying." Virgin Australia restores all the pleasures of plane travel to its passengers.
Outstanding Comfort. With Virgin Australia (rebranded from Virgin Blue in 2011), your comfort is guaranteed whatever cabin class you choose, from business to premium economy to regular economy. Virgin Australia operates a modern fleet of aircraft designed and built by such companies as Boeing and Fokker. In-flight entertainment may include live2air streaming from FOXTEL/AUSTAR channels, portable media players loaded with movies and more, and a selection of music and games. Australian celebrity chef Luke Mangan has designed gourmet meals for all guests traveling with Virgin Australia, raising the bar for its dining options far above the usual airline standards.
Virgin Australia has made a strong commitment to service for its customers, with a guest charter that promises the lowest fares available, prompt notification in case of delayed or canceled flights-including vouchers and compensation for meals and overnight stays, depending on circumstances-and a commitment to its special needs passengers.
Rewarding Loyalty Program. The frequent flier program, Velocity, offers tremendous savings and, unlike so many airlines that require huge numbers of miles before redemption, Virgin Australia begins to trade points for rewards at only 6,900 miles. You can even collect your miles in a "family account"-making for faster access to rewards! A panel consisting of Australia Business Traveller magazine staffers, frequent flyers, and business travelers declared Velocity the best frequent flyer program for business travelers in the 2011 AusBT Awards.
The airline has also been recognized for excellence with a number of other awards, including three Passenger Choice Awards, Best Airline to Australia and New Zealand in the 2011 Eighth Annual Global Traveler's Reader Survey Tested Awards, and many customer service awards. In 2011, Virgin Australia received the prestigious Airline Staff Service Excellence Australia/Pacific award at the 2011 Skytrax World Airline Awards ceremony.
Great On-Time Performance. As important as awards, superior service, and entertainment variety can be to your air travel experience, none of this matters without a commitment to safety and performance. Virgin Australia averages an on-time performance record above 80% and is committed to the safety of both its employees and passengers, with a safety management system that rises above both international regulations and those of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.
Virgin Australia is also serious about its impact on the environment, offering its passengers an opportunity to pay an additional voluntary fee and offset their carbon emissions with its Fly Carbon Neutral program.
Virgin Australia flies to a number of domestic destinations from Sydney to Perth and many points in between. International flights include cities throughout the Asia/Pacific region, such as Shanghai, Auckland, and central locations within the Pacific Islands. Europe, the Middle East, North America, and South Africa can also be reached on Virgin Australia flights. In addition, the airline is partnered with such companies as Delta, Singapore Airlines, and Air New Zealand, among others.