Gallery: Virgin Atlantic’s A330neo elevates passenger experience

The Retreat Suite is a new innovation in Virgin Atlantic’s Upper Class offering and consists of two exclusive suites at the front of the cabin. The airline’s most spacious suite yet, comprising a 6 ft 7-in. direct seat to fully flat bed and a 27-in. touchscreen with Bluetooth connectivity and wireless charging. With each suite boasting an ottoman that doubles up as an extra seat, up to four people can comfortably dine, chat or play games in their own private social space. Customers can enjoy an intimate dinner or settle in comfort to watch a film.

In addition to The Retreat Suite, the A330neo will offer 30 new Upper Class suites. The fully forward-facing suite offers more space and storage alongside a fully closing privacy door. It has a “Do not disturb” feature, passenger-controlled mood lighting, 17.3-in. touchscreen TV and a mirror.

The Loft remains a focal point of the cabin design as customers board the aircraft and is a core part of the Upper Class experience. In an evolution of design from the Airbus A350, 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-in. touchscreens or utilize the wireless charging facilities for their devices.

Stylish touches make big differences in Premium, in a cabin consisting of 46 seats on the A330neo. Virgin Atlantic’s trademark burgundy Premium seats, with a 38-in. pitch remain, but they’re accompanied by calf rests in every seat and a 13.3-in. touchscreen with Bluetooth audio. The airline is also offering its Premium customers an in-seat wireless charging pad.

The new Economy cabin also provides comfort and connection, with an intuitive 13.3-in. touchscreen and Bluetooth audio to connect headphones enabling passengers to use their phone as a controller. There’s also plenty of storage, plus AC power and USB ports to keep gadgets charged. Customers have the choice between 28 Economy Delight seats, which offer an increased 34-in. seat pitch, or 156 Economy Classic seats, providing a 31-in. pitch.

Virgin Atlantic’s A330neo is expected to take off to Boston on its first customer flight in early October. From September 2022, the airline will take delivery of three aircraft, with the remaining deliveries following between 2023 and 2026.

Virgin Atlantic chief customer and operating officer Corneel Koster said, “The A330neo plays a significant role in our multibillion-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.”