economie

Virgin is spending $17 billion on new planes and cabins. See inside its Airbus A330neo, with niche perks like Bluetooth.

September 6, 20240
The Virgin A330neo at the airshow.

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Virgin’s old A330-300 fleet, which has an average age of about 13 years, is being replaced by the more fuel-efficient A330neo. The airline ordered seven more in July, rounding out its multibillion-dollar fleet transformation plan.

Virgin expects its fleet to grow to 45 planes, with an average age of just 6.4 years, over the next four years. This includes 19 A330neos, 12 A350-1000s, and 14 Boeing 787-9s.

The A330neo complements Virgin’s similarly designed A350s, which it has acquired 12 of since 2019. BI flew on Virgin’s A350-1000 in economy from New York to London in July and found it a better long-haul option than rival British Airways, thanks to its nice coach amenities and good food.

The star of the show is the A330neo-exclusive ‘Retreat Suite.’
Quad-seating is also offered on Qatar Airways’ famous QSuite, which is considered the world’s best airline business class.

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Thanks to the extra space created by the front-row bulkhead, each Retreat Suite passenger can host another traveler in the ottoman that doubles as part of the lie-flat bed and as a companion seat.

This means four people could socialize, meet, or dine together in one space.

The Retreat Suite is unavailable by the windows, which could be a dealbreaker for some customers.

Virgin offers the suite as an upcharge to widen its profits.
The Upper Class seats in the middle sections have privacy dividers.

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The A350 debuted with a new Upper-Class suite that was a stark improvement from the mediocre version on Virgin’s A330-300s and Boeing 787s.

Virgin’s old business class has an awkward setup: the seats face away from the window and don’t have sliding doors. Its 1×1×1 layout mirrors the dated business class on Air New Zealand, which BI flew in 2022 but thought left much to be desired.

The A330neo’s new generation Upper Class is a major step up — so much so that it ranked 11th in Skytrax’s 2024 world’s best airline business class list.

Sliding doors create pod-like seats that are on-trend with the industry.
The self-serve food and drinks were across from these seats and included things like chips and soda. Alcohol is also available.

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The Loft debuted on the A330neo and is a social space tucked between the Upper Class and premium economy cabins. The Loft, stocked with self-serve drinks and snacks, can accommodate up to eight people and is good for travelers who want to stretch their legs or socialize.

The lounge and its sister product, the “Booth,” are also available on select A350s. However, neither jet sports the onboard bar available on the previous-generation A330s and the 787s.

Virgin’s Upper Class boasts the typical long-haul business perks.
The author’s legroom on Virgin’s A330neo premium economy.

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Virgin helped pioneer premium economy as an independent cabin decades ago and continues to offer it on board its widebody planes.

The A330neo 46-seater premium economy section boasts 38 inches of pitch and 18.5 inches of width and includes the industry-standard legrest and footrest for added comfort. It also has wireless charging.

The rows are split between 2×4×2 and 2×3×2 configurations, meaning some premium economy passengers will still get the middle seat.

The Bluetooth capability is less common in the airline industry.
Buttons on the side of the seat control the legrest and footrest.

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The premium economy boasts nicer cutlery and food than the regular coach cabin. Passengers can also enjoy a pre-flight drink, USB-A and C ports, plusher linens, and better headphones.

According to NerdWallet, customers also get more baggage allowance and expedited airport service.

Economy is Virgin’s cheapest cabin.
The headphones and linens in Virgin’s A330neo economy cabin.

Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Economy sports the same-sized television (which Virgin says is its “biggest yet”) as the premium economy cabin and allows customers to connect their personal headphones to the inflight entertainment. A mobile phone can also be connected as a remote.

Customers also have power ports, soft linens, an adjustable headrest, and standard meals. The food on BI’s Virgin A350 economy flight in July was great, and the seats were well-padded.

Like the A350, the A330neo’s seatback pocket carried over the two smaller pockets attached for better organization and storage.

The cabin-wide pink lighting is staple Virgin.
Virgin’s Upper Class is much better than the classic version.

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Virgin’s A330neo had intentional luxuries in each of its cabins, from the doors and Retreat Suite in the new Upper Class to the Bluetooth-enabled seatback screens that even economy passengers can enjoy. The “Loft” is a nice touch that competing airlines like British Airways and Delta don’t offer.

However, the main shortfall is in premium economy, which doesn’t really have much upsell value from coach. It has the same Bluetooth-enabled 13.3-inch seatback screen, and its seat width is only six inches wider than regular economy.

Still, the cabin has plush and comfortable seats. Customers who want a little more space and privacy, better meals and amenities, and more convenience at the airport may consider upgrading.

But for those with money to burn or are savvy enough with points, Virgin’s A330neo Upper Class is something to look forward to.

Virgin customers can experience the A330neo on more than a dozen routes.
The Virgin A330neo displayed the Farnborough Airshow in July.

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Cirium data shows Virgin flies its newest Airbus widebody plane between England and cities across North America, Europe, the Caribbean, Africa, and the Middle East.

In the US, the plane touches Orlando, Miami, New York, Boston, Atlanta, Tampa, and Washington DC.