The new Airbus A350-1000s will carry 397 passengers, compared to 335 on the main fleet. An extra 90 seats will be fitted into Economy, with Premium Economy remaining the same at 56 seats and Upper Class reduced from 44 to 16.
The Upper Class Booth will seat just two passengers separated by a single leaf table. Virgin said the styling was designed to be in tune with the airline’s larger Loft space featured on the main A350 fleet. The Loft has replaced the bar area now found only on Virgin’s A330 and Boeing 787 fleet.
The Booth has two 27” touch screen monitors, with content including a digital art gallery and a tail and belly cam of the aircraft. Two Bluetooth audio jacks allow passengers to connect headsets to the monitor’s audio.
The new aircraft will operate Heathrow-Orlando from December 2021. Other leisure destinations, including Barbados, will receive it later in 2022. Three A350s are set to be delivered by June 2023.
Corneel Koster, Virgin’s chief customer and operations officer, said:
“I’m delighted that we’ve curated The Booth specifically for our customers jetting off on holiday to our sunny destinations, such as Orlando, offering a truly stylish start to their trips.”
The first aircraft in the airline’s A350 leisure fleet will be G-VEVE, named Fearless Lady, after Eve Branson, late mother of Virgin Atlantic founder Sir Richard Branson.
Lady Emmeline (G-VLIB), inspired by the leader of the women’s suffrage movement Emmeline Pankhurst, will follow in April.
