Jessica Reid | 13 July 2022
A plane for the future: Virgin Atlantic launches A330neo with new 'Retreat Suites'
The stylish new aircraft will be taking off into the skies from October
The stylish new aircraft will be taking off into the skies from October
Virgin Atlantic has revealed the first look at its new aircraft type, with an upgraded customer experiences for all classes.
In 2019, Virgin became the first UK airline to order 16 Airbus A330neos – leading the way in having the most “efficient, youngest and greenest fleet in the sky”.
At its exclusive launch event in London on Tuesday 12 July, the airline revealed what to expect inside the cabins.
New 'Retreat Suites' (Virgin Atlantic)
Upper Class seats (Virgin Atlantic)
The Upper Class cabins were the most noteworthy, with the all-new ‘Retreat Suites’ particularly standing out, claiming to be the most spacious Virgin Atlantic suites ever.
The two exclusive suites can be found to the fore of the cabin, featuring chairs that transform into 6ft 7" fully flat beds. The suites also contain a 27" touchscreen TV with Bluetooth and wireless charging, and an ottoman which doubles up as another seat, allowing up to four people to gather and dine together.
Virgin Atlantic’s iconic Loft has also seen a slight revamp. The social space allows up to eight Upper Class passengers to sit together for a change of scenery during the flight, complete with self-serving fridge and drink dispensers.
There will also be 30 new Upper Class suites, featuring private doors and mood lighting.
Other seating options have been tweaked to perfection too. Those in Premium and Economy can expect better comfort, more storage, larger TV screens and more efficient charging points.
The Loft is a social space in Upper Class(Virgin Atlantic)
The A330neo will replace the A330-300, reducing emissions up to 11% per customer and delivering 50 percent reduction in airport noise contour.
Virgin Atlantic’s Chief Operating Officer Corneel Coster said: “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.
“It’s truly a plane for the future.”
It was announced the first A330neo will take off in October, with its first route flying from London Heathrow to Boston.
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