Fresh off a hotly contested expansion to Dallas Love Field Airport, Virgin America has been named the top domestic airline for the seventh year in a row. The distinction comes courtesy of Travel+Leisure readers, who also dubbed Dallas-based Southwest Airlines the fourth-best carrier in the country.
To compile the rankings, T+L polled thousands of readers on seven categories: cabin comfort, in-flight service, customer service, value, food, timeliness and loyalty programs. Each airline was given a score on a 100-point scale. Virgin earned an 85, while Southwest skated by at 76.
In a statement, Virgin America CEO and president David Cush called the T+L award "one of the highest honors in our industry."
"We are pleased that we continue to meet and exceed the expectations of some of the world’s most savvy travelers — year after year," he said.
The rest of the top five included JetBlue Airways (No. 2), Hawaiian Airlines (No. 3) and Alaska Airlines (No. 5). Southwest slipped one spot from its 2013 ranking, when it laid claim to the third-best airline in America. The complete Travel+Leisure World's Best Award results are featured in the upcoming issue of the magazine, which hits newsstands July 18.
Virgin America has been named the best domestic airline by Travel+Leisure readers.
Courtesy photo
Virgin America has been named the best domestic airline by Travel+Leisure readers.
Franklin Barbecue pitmaster Aaron Franklin meets British Airways executive chef Mark Brega.
The question of Austin's favorite barbecue joint will always be up in the air, but Franklin Barbecue is bringing things to new heights.
British Airways customers flying from Austin to London throughout March will enjoy a barbecue meal onboard, and some will get a limited-edition take-home bottle of Franklin's Original Sauce.
This is in celebration of 10 years of flying between Austin and Heathrow Airport, and the offer only seems to be valid from here to London. In fairness, as much as some good barbecue would be a great prelude to landing in Austin, it'd be pretty hard to cook it up across the pond.
The limited edition "BA-B-Q sauce" (as in "British Airways," ha ha) is being bottled up for Club World customers — that means those flying in the long-haul business class cabin. Not saying a bottle of sauce is worth hundreds of dollars in upgrades, but it would be a good comedy bit to visit London and drench everything in Texas Juice.
Franklin's sauce is mostly tomato and apple cider vinegar, combining for a pleasant and light product that really represents the simplicity of Texas barbecue. If fans aren't planning a trip to London this month, they can also check out this helpful tutorial from the pitmaster himself.
"Franklin Barbecue is a legendary establishment in Austin," said British Airways executive chef Mark Brega in a press release. "Known for its long lines and mouthwatering brisket, it has earned a reputation as one of the best barbecue joints in the world. We are always looking for culinary inspiration in the cities we fly, so it was a delight to meet Aaron Franklin and learn from his passion and expertise and share Franklin Barbecue's Original BBQ sauce with our customers."
Speaking of videos, British Airways documented a trip Brega made to Austin to learn and develop the in-flight barbecue meal. That will be available to the rest of customers on the flights mentioned above, regardless of what type of ticket they have.
Brega toured the back-of-house at Franklin Barbecue and discussed his plans for "a nice little slaw...a couple of nice slices of short rib, corn pudding, beans, and a couple little sides." According to the release, World Travellers will also be able to order a smoky chicken alternative with rice and beans.
Franklin points out that on an airplane, flavors will have to be heightened to avoid tasting bland. He doesn't mention what they'll do behind the scenes to turn up the heat, but suffice it to say, this meal will taste best in the air, and the sauce should stay sealed until safely on the ground again.
"We had such a good time hosting Mark and the team from British Airways," said Franklin in the release. "It's an honor to help represent Austin as we celebrate ten years of a straight-shot between these two great cities, and all kinds of fun to share this special sauce with British Airways travelers!"