The British airline’s first A330 Neo will soon take off. Virgin Atlantic offers some innovations in the interior – but also features that are known from other models.
Actually, first class is out. Airlines are increasingly saying goodbye to the top travel class and are investing in better business and premium economy class. This is also the case with Virgin Atlantic. The upper class is the British luxury product.
There will still be something of a mini-first in the new Airbus A330 Neo, which will take off for the British airline from October. Retreat, translated place of retreat, is what Virgin Atlantic calls two seats at the front of the plane. The airline’s most spacious suite to date, it features a seat that converts directly into a fully-flat two-meter bed.
More space, no window
Each suite is furnished with an ottoman that serves as an extra seat. Up to four people can eat, chat or play games in the area. The suites are said to be around £200 more expensive per route than the other seats in Business Class. The only downside: there is no window as the seats are in the middle.
The Upper Class has also received an upgrade in other respects. Each Business Class seat in the Airbus A330 Neo consists of a lockable suite. A bit reminiscent of these the Q suite at Qatar Airways – except that all travelers fly forward. The suites are equipped with a do not disturb button, a seat that converts to a bed and a mirror.
Lounge for eight people
From the design of Airbus A350 was taken over as the Loft lounge. There is room for eight people. In addition to a fridge with drinks and a drinks dispenser, there are also 27-inch touchscreens that can be connected to Bluetooth headphones and charging options for electronic devices.
The premium economy at Virgin, which is housed in a separate cabin area, is – quite cleverly from a marketing point of view – just called premium. The burgundy seats, 38 inches or 97 centimeters apart, remain as on the A350. There are also calf supports on each seat and a 13.3-inch touchscreen with Bluetooth audio capability. There is also an in-seat wireless charging station.
First Airbus A330 Neo in September
Passengers in Economy Class on the Airbus A330-900 have a choice of 28 Economy Delight seats, which offer an increased seat pitch of 34 inches or 86 centimeters, and 156 Economy Classic seats with a seat pitch of 31 inches or 79 centimeters. The screens are as large as in the Premium Economy and are also Bluetooth-enabled and can be controlled with a cell phone.
Of the 16 Virgin Atlantic A330 Neos on order, three will be delivered in September. The rest will arrive between 2023 and 2026.
Take a closer look at the seats of all classes of Virgin Atlantic’s Airbus A330 Neo in the image gallery above.