FLYING HIGH – VIRGIN ATLANTIC WINS OAG AIRLINE OF THE YEAR

Virgin Atlantic Airways yesterday won several awards at the OAG awards including the prestigious Airline of the Year 2001. Three Virgin Atlantic cabin crew members were awarded with the ‘Outstanding Service’ award and Virgin also scooped the Best Long-Haul Economy Class, Best Airline based in Western Europe and was highly commended in the Best Transatlantic and Best Long-Haul Business Class categories.

Sir Richard Branson, Chairman of Virgin Atlantic Airways, said:

“Winning this prestigious award is thanks to all the hard work all the staff at Virgin Atlantic have put in over the past year. It is even more impressive that we have achieved this as well as delivering ground breaking new Upper Class services and launching new routes including Chicago, Cape Town. Las Vegas and Delhi.

The Outstanding Service award is given annually and was awarded this year to Virgin Atlantic cabin crew Johnathon Marsden, Alex Hassard and Andy Arnold who have gone above and beyond the call of duty. The three Virgin Atlantic cabin crew received this award for saving the lives of three youths injured in an horrific car accident in Cape Town, South Africa. Paramedics who arrived at the scene later said that without the help of the three the accident victims would surely have died.

Sir Richard Branson said;

“A special word of congratulations must also go to Johnathon Marsden, Alex Hassard and Andy Arnold who won the OAG ‘Oustanding Service’ award for their bravery, courage and professionalism for saving the lives of three South African young men. They are a credit to Virgin Atlantic.”

Johnathon, Alex and Andy said;

“We are highly trained as cabin crew in emergency procedures, and it was just instinct to pull over and help. We don’t consider ourselves heroes; any Virgin Atlantic cabin crew would have done the same thing.”

Steve Ridgway, Managing Director of Virgin Atlantic, commented:

“We would like to congratulate our partners Singapore Airlines for winning an accolade of awards last night including Best International First Class and Best Airline Based in Asia. We would also like to congratulate our codeshare partner Continental Airlines who picked up five awards.”