The aircraft will also offer two larger suites, known as The Retreat Suite, at the front of the business class cabin, as well as The Loft, an area for up to eight people to socialise, which replaces the former Upper Class bar.
Virgin has ordered “up to” 16 A330neo (new engine option) aircraft, with three arriving this year. The A330-900 neos are said to be 11% more fuel and carbon efficient than the A330-300 they are directly replacing and will deliver a claimed 50% reduction in airport noise.
The wide-body jet has allowed Virgin to update its business cabin in line with the trend for a more enclosed space. There will be 30 new Upper Class suites, all forward-facing, with a fully closing privacy door and a ‘do not disturb’ feature, plus passenger-controlled mood lighting and 17.3” touchscreen TV.
The Retreat Suite consists of two seats that Virgin said was its “most spacious suite yet”, comprising a 6ft 7” fully flat bed and a 27” touchscreen with Bluetooth connectivity and wireless charging. An ottoman doubles as an extra seat, allowing up to four people to dine or watch films together.
The Loft social space, which is open to all Upper Class passengers, has dual panoramic 27” touchscreens with Bluetooth connection. The A330neo also has a cabin of 46 premium economy seats with the standard 38-inch pitch and in-seat wireless charging pad.
In economy, Virgin claims its latest cabin boasts the “largest-ever economy screen”, at 13.3”, with Bluetooth audio to connect headphones. There are 28 Economy Delight seats, which offer an increased 34” seat pitch, or 156 Economy Classic seats, providing a 31” pitch.
Corneel Koster, Virgin’s chief customer and operating officer, said: “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.”
Virgin said it would begin flights with the new aircraft in early October, with tickets on sale later this month. It has yet to reveal the premium which The Retreat Suite will command or whether other aircraft will be retro-fitted with the new-style Upper Class seats.
