Virgin America: Leader in Sustainability

Virgin America airlines were launched in August 2007 by founder Richard Branson. Since the beginning Virgin America had a goal “…to build an airline from the ground up that makes environmentally-sustainable practices part and parcel of our business model…”. This goal has led the company to focus on their environmental impacts and their “Sustainability Principles” which help to guide in decision making. By being a leader in carbon efficiency and investing in sustainable growth Virgin America has found a way to be 25% more fuel efficient that the average US airline. Voted the Most Eco-Friendly Airline in 2010 by Smarter Travel, Virgin America is always looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprint—such as their in-flight recycling program. In addition to trying to be a more sustainable company, Virgin America is also presenting itself as a leader in the airline industry by being the first airline to list its carbon footprint and the first US airline to provide its passengers with the opportunity of offsetting the carbon footprint of their flight.

While Virgin America’s internal operations have consistently been environmentally aware, their physical operations will now be more sustainable as well. San Francisco International Airport is currently undergoing a 383 million dollar renovation of their Terminal 2 (T2)—home to Virgin America and American Airlines—which is expected to be the most sustainable and modern terminal in the US. Virgin America is the only airline headquartered out of San Francisco, which means T2 will now be the principle operation base for the company. This terminal will not only be more environmentally-friendly but also enhance travellers experiences by providing them with amenities such as a food marketplace featuring local organic vendors, water bottle refilling stations, zero waste stations, paperless ticketing and much, much more. While Virgin America has always practiced sustainability in their internal operations, they will now also be able to feature this in their physical operations as well. With the new renovations “Virgin American spaces within T2 will ultimately achieve the highest possible LEED-Platinum certification”. Seems in Virgin America’s mind that if you’re going to reach for sustainability, you better go all the way!

Sources Used:

Hetzel, A. (2011, February 7). Virgin America Wows with Newly Released Sustainability Principles. Retrieved February 23, 2011, from Carbonfund.org blog: http://www.carbonfund.org/blog/energy-efficiency/virgin-americas-2009-sustainability-report-proud/?utm_campaign=virgin-americas-2009-sustainability-report-proud&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss

Shradha. (2011, February 19). SFO's Terminal 2 Set to Re-Open in April 2011. Retrieved February 23, 2011, from PRLog: http://www.prlog.org/11314354-sfos-terminal-2-set-to-re-open-in-april-2011.html

Virgin America . (2011). About Us. Retrieved February 23, 2011, from Virgin America : http://www.virginamerica.com/about/environmental-sustainability.html