Virgin Australia

Virgin Australia lives or dies by the short-haul airline job: taking people across Australia and into nearby routes with a familiar full-service domestic carrier setup. By our assessment, its real value is the balance between a broad network and the more polished feel people expect from a major airline group. The catch is the usual one for airlines: baggage rules, seat choices and schedule changes can make the experience feel less simple than the ticket price suggests. In practice it is check-in, gates, queues and a cabin that is designed for routine travel rather than romance. It sits in the same field as Qantas and other Australian carriers, not as a niche player but as one of the main names in the market. Virgin Australia is tied in the catalogue to Australia, which fits the way it operates as a domestic-centered airline.