Making Flying Good Again By Stephani Hawkins | Ascend Editor For a relative newcomer, California-based Virgin Best Domestic Airline, Condé Nast Traveler’s and a host of innovative amenities. The carrier’s A Conversation With … America has many “firsts.” It was the world’s Readers’ Choice Awards (2008, 2009, 2010 fleet of Airbus A320s is highly customized first airline to implement an on-demand food and 2011); with mood-lit cabins; custom-designed, roomy David Cush, President and and drink ordering system on every seatback. Best Business/First Class, Condé Nast leather seats; and the most modern in-flight It was the first to offer fleet-wide in-flight WiFi. Traveler Business Travel Poll (2008, 2009, entertainment system. Chief Executive Officer, It was the first U.S.-domestic airline to offer 2010 and 2011); The Red™ In-flight Entertainment Virgin America passengers an in-flight carbon offset option. It Best Domestic Airline for Food, Travel + System gives guests access to more than was the first airline to list its carbon footprint Leisure’s World’s Best Awards, (2009); 30 on-demand movies and 24 channels of according to internationally accepted standards No. 1 in Class in Zagat’s Global Airlines live television, a kids’ entertainment sec- via The Climate Registry. It placed the first Survey (2008, 2009 and 2010); tion, libraries to video games and music, commercial order for the new Airbus A320neo, Most Eco-Friendly Airline, SmarterTravel onboard seat-to-seat chat messaging, on- which will offer 15 percent fuel efficiency gains. Editor’s Choice (2010). demand food and beverage ordering, a For an airline that is just a few months shy Virgin America’s mission is to make flying digital shopping platform, and WiFi at every of reaching its five-year anniversary, its accom- good again by reinventing domestic air travel. seat. Combining a stylish design and com- plishments are remarkable. And it doesn’t stop And based on the carrier’s numerous awards, fort with innovative technology provides an there. The airline has also pulled down numer- it’s going about it the right way. Its focus is upscale flight at affordable rates and gives ous industry awards, including: purely on its guests and teammates. As long as guests control over their overall in-flight Best Domestic Airline, Travel + Leisure’s they are happy, everything else falls into place. experience. World’s Best Awards (2008, 2009, 2010 and Virgin America’s appeal begins with brand For Virgin America, it’s not just about 2011); new planes, attractive airfares, topnotch service bells and whistles and special perks. It’s Photos: Virgin America Photos: Virgin ASCEND I PROFILE ASCEND I PROFILE about giving the traveling public their Question: Virgin America’s mis- so they can stay connected to their lives Q: When establishing Virgin America, having a team that is actually passionate Google maps, a shop platform and a host of money’s worth while ensuring they have an sion is to make flying good again. What on the ground. We are also very focused what were some of the lessons you about going above and beyond for the guest other options that people now have in their exceptional travel experience. The carrier are some aspects of the current aviation on the overall guest experience. It is not learned from other carriers that helped and about doing things differently in our living rooms. There are several innovative has a strict value system and extremely industry that have taken the greatness out just the new aircraft, entertainment, design mold your business model and identify business — you just cannot beat that. touches — all designed around making the high standards that makes it a great airline. of flying? What are the primary things your and other features — it is our people your core values? Q: Your rewards program, Elevate, experience better. Before we launched, we But being a great airline isn’t enough. airline does to support its mission? delivering that product in a guest-centric A: Having spent 22 years at American is unique in that members can redeem knew that travelers did not like that ‘DMV’ Virgin America also strives to be a good Answer: I think for the most part, way. From the people side, we invest a Airlines, I saw that the new entrant carriers points for flights anytime, without black- fluorescent glare on aircraft. Our in-cabin neighbor and takes corporate responsibility the major carriers have really taken the great deal in this area. We have an annual (JetBlue, Virgin, even Spirit) were the ones out periods. What other aspects set your moodlighting was designed to transition seriously. joy out of flying for the past few decades. program called Refresh, where we bring shaking up the status quo in the airline airline apart from other airlines? across 12 shades based on outside flying From an environmental standpoint, it Part of it is the economics of the industry, everyone in the company in for a two-day category and offering products that the A: The idea behind Virgin America was light (settings vary from Seattle Morning to incorporates environmentally sustainable but also management turning inward and program that helps teammates refocus on modern traveler actually wants. So, I think really to reinvent something (domestic fly- Dusk) to soothe, relax and even gradually practices into its business model. Its fleet away from the guest experience. Many the guest — and what we do differently at having really smart, analytical people in the ing) that, for the most part, had become awaken travelers on a red eye. Although is up to 25 percent more fuel and carbon of us remember when flying was actually Virgin America. business is key, but also having people who a dismal experience here in the United we have pretty generous leg-room onboard, efficient. It uses organic hand soap in air- exciting and fun. The idea behind Virgin Q: Virgin America follows a strict ethical are creative and able to think differently is States. People didn’t like the loss of control, we also found that a major flying complaint craft lavatories, and includes locally grown America was to get back to that. We value system. What are your airline’s core critical. Being able to adapt the business to the lack of connection — to the ground or was the seat comfort itself, which is why and organic food on its menus. And that wanted to create an outstanding experi- values? Why is it important to incorporate the guest and market needs is something other guests, and the lack of options similar our seats are custom-designed, deeper just scratches the surface. ence by focusing on what travelers actually these standards into your business model? that is just crucial, especially in an industry to what they get in other areas of their lives, and more ergonomically correct — with a The carrier operates out of San Francisco want. We got to start with a blank sheet of A: As a Virgin-branded company and as like aviation where you need to move like entertainment on demand. This is an higher knee elevation. We also knew that International Airport’s Terminal 2, the first paper and rethink the way things had been the only airline headquartered in California, quickly. I would also say that having a highly airline built from the ground up, designed travelers did not like the food trolley carts LEED® Gold-certified airport terminal in done. We knew people didn’t like the loss our guests, teammates and investors are motivated, engaged workforce across the around the customer — what they like and blocking the aisles and the fact that they the United States. The facility uses mod- of control on flights and the lack of connec- passionate not just about creating a great board is core to our mission and, ultimately, what they don’t like. So everything from had one time to order food onboard — again ern ventilation systems that require 20 tion to the ground. So we invested in an airline but building a great company. That our guest promise. That’s why we spend a our in-flight entertainment to the design the loss of control over their experience. percent less energy as well as skylights entertainment platform that allows guests means operating in an environmentally lot of time investing in teammate training, of our onboard cups (pleasing to the eye We designed a first-of-its-kind food menu and clerestories that reduce electricity to control their own flight. They can decide sustainable way as possible for an airline, recruiting and other programs despite the and more stable) reflect that. Our in-flight to allow guests to order cocktails or meals usage. Numerous other “green” initiatives, which TV shows or movies to watch and giving back to our community and support- fact that many travelers are with us for the entertainment platform is individualized, right from their seatback entertainment such as hydration stations, recyclable din- which videogames to play. They have the ing our teammates. Our core values are: amenities onboard. The product gets them touch-screen and offers live satellite TV, screen any time during a flight. Our flight ing utensils, preferred parking for hybrid ability to order food on demand whenever Being Virgin — Embracing the brand to in the door, but our people keep them. And 35 movies, a 3000-track MP3 library where crews pick up the order from an LED screen cars and 100 percent EnergyStar-certified they like, not just when the cart comes do things differently in our category; you can build your own playlist, at the back of the aircraft and deliver it on computers and office equipment, further through the aisle.