Virgin America has been awarded the best Business/First Class Domestic carrier in the US in the recent Conde Nast Traveler’s Business Travel Poll.

I am hardly surprised that a carrier with non-US roots has taken out this award, I am hoping this type of pressure will force the entire US airline industry lift its game, providing benefits to the airlines and its passengers.

The Full Press release from Virgin American can be found below:

Virgin America, the California-based airline on a mission to make flying good again, today took the top honors for "best Business/First Class" among domestic airlines in Conde Nast Traveler's 2008 Business Travel Poll.

The annual survey of the magazine's business travelers ranked Virgin America as the top U.S. airline for Business/First Class service, as reported in the October issue of Conde Nast Traveler. Launched in August 2007, Virgin America has already captured a list of travel industry best-in-class awards, including No. 1 for quality in First/Business Class in the U.S. in Zagat's Global Airlines Survey and "Best Domestic Airline" in Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards.

"Virgin America was launched with the goal of reinventing domestic flying by creating an upscale, innovative and customer-focused experience," said Virgin America President and CEO David Cush. "Business travelers should expect the very best in design, technology, entertainment and comfort in a U.S. airline -- just as they do in their hotel choices. We couldn't be more proud to earn this ranking in our first year, especially from the selective travelers who fly the most and who rightly expect more."

An independent firm asked more than 26,500 readers identified as business travelers to rate hotels, airports and airlines. Over 2,500 surveys were completed. Final scores (out of 100) represent the percentage of readers who rated an airline "excellent" or "very good." Virgin America had an overall score of 65.3. The carrier's nearest competitor (No. 2 in the rankings) had an overall score of 41.1.

Virgin America features unrivalled amenities for the business traveler -- including new planes with custom-designed leather seats, standard power outlets for electronic gear, and touch-screen seatback entertainment with 18 channels of live TV (including CNN, MSNBC and CNBC, accessed via touch-screen or remote control) and over 30 on-demand films, including the latest releases.

Virgin America's First Class cabin offers international-grade service and amenities, with priority check-in and boarding and plush white leather chairs with 55 inches of pitch and lumbar massagers. The Main Cabin offers custom-designed leather seats with a deeper, more comfortable pitch. The carrier recently announced a new cabin option, Main Cabin Select, that offers 38-inches of seat pitch in the exit row and in the bulkhead, complimentary food and cocktails, an all-access pass to the Red In-flight Entertainment(tm) system's countless on-demand entertainment options, and priority airport check-in, security screening and boarding at available airports. Main Cabin Select will launch later this year.

Virgin America currently flies to seven cities with daily flights from: SFO to LAX, SFO to JFK, SFO to SAN, SFO to IAD, SFO to LAS, SFO to SEA, LAX to JFK, LAX to IAD, LAX to SEA, and non-stop JFK to LAS.