Virgin Atlantic has unveiled the experience on board its new A330neo fleet.
Virgin Atlantic became the first UK airline in 2019 to announce a firm order for up to 16 Airbus A330neos, reaffirming its commitment to flying the cleanest, greenest fleet in the sky. The airline says its A330-900neos are designed to be 11% more fuel and carbon efficient than the A330-300 they’re directly replacing and will deliver a 50% reduction in airport noise contour.
The A330neo fleet cabin features an innovative new seat in the Upper Class cabin, evolution of its iconic social space and the Retreat Suite, which the carrier says is the most spacious suite in Virgin Atlantic’s history.
The airline’s in-house design team worked in collaboration with Factorydesign to develop the cabin’s Retreat Suite, Upper Class Suite and The Loft. The Retreat Suite in Upper Class is a brand-new innovation that offers two exclusive suites at the front of the cabin comprising a 6ft7” direct seat to fully flat bed and a 27” touchscreen with Bluetooth connectivity and wireless charging. Each suite has an ottoman that doubles up as an extra seat, and up to four people can dine, chat or play games in their own private social space.
As well as the Retreat Suite, the A330neo cabin will offer 30 new Upper Class suites. The forward-facing suite offers more space and storage and a fully closing privacy door. It also has passenger-controlled mood lighting, 17.3” touchscreen TV and a mirror.
The airline’s ‘Loft’ social space remains a focal point and a core part of the Upper Class experience. It consists of space for eight people, with four comfortable seats, allowing guests to sit and chat or enjoy refreshments from the new self-service fridge and drinks dispenser. Customers can also connect Bluetooth headphones to the dual panoramic 27” touchscreens or utilise the wireless charging facilities for their devices.
In Premium Class, the cabin consists of 46 Virgin Atlantic’s trademark burgundy Premium seats, with a 38” pitch and calf rests and a 13.3” touchscreen with Bluetooth audio in every seat. The airline is also offering its Premium customers an in-seat wireless charging pad.
Economy cabin customers will experience the largest ever economy screen at 13.3”, with an intuitive touchscreen and Bluetooth audio to connect headphones, with customers able to use their phone as a controller. There’s also plenty of storage, plus AC power and USB ports to keep gadgets energised. Customers have the choice between 28 Economy Delight seats, which offer an increased 34” seat pitch, or 156 Economy Classic seats, providing a 31” pitch.
Corneel Koster, Chief Customer and Operating Officer at Virgin Atlantic, commented: “When it comes to innovating for our customers, we never stand still. Our desire to create memorable experiences means we’ll continue to imagine with fresh ideas. We care about every detail of the cabin design and every step of our customer’s journey. We’re proud to unveil our state of the art A330neo and show the evolution of our customer experience, with each of our customers receiving a premium experience regardless of the cabin they travel in. They’ll be better connected with their fellow travellers and our amazing crew in the air, and with their friends and family on the ground.
“The A330neo plays a significant role in our multi billion dollar fleet transformation, demonstrating our commitment to the planet. We know the most impactful thing we can do as an airline is to fly the cleanest, greenest, youngest fleet possible and the A330neo is integral to achieving this goal. It’s truly a plane for the future.”
The carrier says its A330neo is expected to take off to Boston on its first customer flight in early October and tickets will go on sale later this month. The airline will take delivery of three aircraft from September, with the remaining deliveries following between 2023 and 2026.
