Sir Richard Branson and David Cush Talk About Virgin America Airlines
David Cush, President and CEO of Virgin America
Sir Richard Branson, Founder and President of Virgin Group
By Daedrian McNaughton
In an exclusive interview with Premier Guide Miami, Sir Richard Branson, Founder and President of Virgin Group, and David Cush, President and CEO of Virgin America, discussed the groundbreaking initiatives and future plans of Virgin America Airlines. With a focus on environmental sustainability and exceptional customer service, Virgin America is set to challenge its competitors in the airline industry.
As a pioneer in the green initiative, Virgin America has been at the forefront of environmental responsibility since 2009. They were the first airline to actively reduce their carbon footprint and raise awareness about the industry’s impact on the environment. The company has made significant strides towards sustainability by implementing various practices, such as minimizing the use of auxiliary power units, single engine taxiing, and idle reverse landings. Additionally, Virgin America utilizes advanced avionics and practices cost index flying to fly more efficiently and reduce fuel consumption.
“All the profits we make from our airlines, we invest in alternative fuel and we have come up with a fuel that is a completely clean fuel which we believe will power our planes. We are hopeful that our planes will be flying with that in the future and it is an algae based fuel. It is not 100 percent guaranteed, but I would say more likely than that we will be successful,” Sir Richard Branson told Premier Guide Miami.
One notable achievement is Virgin America’s commitment to alternative fuels. Sir Richard Branson revealed that the airline has developed a completely clean algae-based fuel, which they hope will power their planes in the future. This pioneering approach sets Virgin America apart from its competitors and showcases their dedication to environmental stewardship.
Despite being categorized as a low-cost carrier, Virgin America refuses to compromise on service quality. The airline prides itself on offering top-notch amenities and cutting-edge technology to enhance the passenger experience. These include touch-screen entertainment systems, power outlets at every seat, and fleetwide Gogo® In-flight Internet. Furthermore, Virgin America boasts one of the youngest fleets in the U.S., featuring custom-designed, mood-lit cabins equipped with Red™ – a state-of-the-art entertainment system that offers a wide selection of films, live TV, interactive Google Maps, music videos, videogames, and an on-demand menu.
Speaking about their recent expansion to Fort Lauderdale International Airport, David Cush expressed his excitement about introducing South Florida to Northern California. He emphasized that Virgin America’s baggage handling efficiency is exceptional, with numbers 70 percent lower than the industry average. This success can be attributed to their point-to-point carrier model, which eliminates the complexities of connecting flights and ensures a smooth travel experience for passengers.
Looking ahead, Cush revealed that the next venture for Virgin America might be Chicago. Despite previous difficulties entering the market, the company remains determined and optimistic about its future expansion plans.
With daily flights to major cities across the U.S., including San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, and Washington D.C., Virgin America has positioned itself as an airline that combines affordability with unparalleled service. Their network also covers popular destinations such as Las Vegas, San Diego, Boston, Orange County, and Fort Lauderdale.
For more information on Virgin America and its innovative approach to air travel, visit www.virginamerica.com.
PGM: Share with us some of the new features on the Airbus 319.
DC: It puts your entire travel experience in your hands. We have touch-screen entertainment, power outlets at every seat and fleetwide Gogo® In-flight Internet. We operate one of the youngest fleets in the U.S. with mood-lit, custom-designed cabins feature Red™ — the most advanced entertainment system in the skies. Red’s seatback platform offers 25 films, live TV, interactive Google Maps, music videos, videogames, and an on-demand menu that allows guests to order what they want, when they want it. In the main cabin we offer custom-designed leather seats with a deeper, more comfortable pitch, the First Class offers plush white leather seats with 55 inches of pitch and lumbar massagers. The premium Main Cabin Select option, offers 38-inches of pitch, complimentary food and cocktails, an all-access pass to Red’s countless entertainment options, dedicated overhead bins and priority check-in/boarding.
PGM: What were some of the setbacks you faced in getting approval for flying into Fort Lauderdale?
DC: We actually didn’t have a lot of problems getting into Fort Lauderdale because it was a decision of where we wanted to go next. Once that was decided, the people were great here. I am excited to be here, and I live in South Florida for 4 years in Miami. I love to be out here, and look forward to introducing Northern California to South Florida.
PGM: Travelers have been complaining about lost luggage and extended runway sits. How will Virgin America address those issues?
DC: We have decided early on that this is going to be a fun airline, pretty airplanes and with all the other amenities that we offer. We are obviously a serious airline when it gets to operations and so forth. From our operation end, we are very much on top of things, our baggage numbers we are number one, as a matter of fact they are 70 percent lower than the industry average. We are doing very good in the operation side. A lot of it has to do with the fact that we are a point to point carrier, we don’t offer connections, that’s where failures happen. We are very proud of what we do here at Virgin America. People want nice airplanes, they want friendly crews, the want to get from point A to point B safely, with their luggage.
PGM: What is the next venture for Virgin America?
DC: The next city, probably will be Chicago we tried getting in before. We had some trouble getting in, but we think we can get in this time.
***Virgin America flies to San Francisco, LA, New York, Washington D.C., Seattle, Las Vegas, San Diego, Boston, Orange County and Fort Lauderdale. The airline offers daily flights from: SFO to LAX, SFO to JFK, SFO to SAN, SFO to IAD, SFO to LAS, LAX to JFK, LAX to IAD, SFO to SEA, SEA to LAX, JFK to LAS, BOS to LAX, BOS to SFO, SFO to SNA, LAX to FLL and SFO to FLL. The airline offers connecting FLL flights from SEA, SNA, SAN and LAS.
For more information on Virgin America, visit www.virginamerica.com