NEWS Virgin America named top U.S. carrier for 3rd year in a row

Virgin America was named the top U.S. airline for the third consecutive year in the annual Airline Quality Rating (AQR) report. Hawaiian Airlines finished No. 2 and was followed by Delta. Each of those carriers jumped one spot from 2013, dropping previous No. 2 JetBlue into fourth-place. Alaska Airlines rounded out the top five, maintaining its No. 5 ranking from 2013. Overall, the industry's performance as evaluated by the AQR declined from 2013, which was the "best-ever year in overall performance." The AQR study notes that "only three of 12 U.S. airlines evaluated actually improved this past year (2014). And while one held steady, eight airlines declined."