Delta, Virgin capture aviation strategy award

Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic

0711 AviationAwards-229LONDON – Delta and joint venture partner Virgin Atlantic were jointly awarded Airline Business Magazine’s Aviation Strategy Award for Finance at a ceremony Sunday night.

The award was made in recognition of the financial strategy behind Delta’s 49 percent stake in Virgin, as well as the success of the airlines’ joint venture partnership. Delta by Bill Carroll, S.V.P. – Finance and Controller, with Virgin’s Shai Weiss, Chief Financial Officer and E.V.P., accepted the award at an event in London.

“Together our airlines have transformed the trans-Atlantic landscape, consolidating our network between the U.K. and the U.S. to offer customers more destinations, convenience, service and value, while at the same time sharing operating costs and revenues,” said Carroll. “Our joint venture goes from strength to strength and the success of our partnership with Virgin Atlantic has provided a blueprint for Delta’s strategic investment in other global airlines.”

The 15-year-old Aviation Strategy Awards were founded to recognize the crucial role that management talent plays in shaping the success of the industry.  With categories including Executive Leadership, Finance, Low-Cost Leadership, Marketing, Regional Leadership, and Network Strategy, they are judged by a panel of industry experts made up of members of Flight Global’s editorial team, former airline CEOs and aviation analysts.

This is the second Aviation Strategy honor for Delta. Former CEO Richard Anderson, now executive Chairman of the Board, was recognized for his leadership in 2010 when he received the Executive Strategy Award.

Pictured above from left to right: Delta’s Carroll, Virgin’s Weiss and Chris Flook, FlightGlobal Managing Director.