WORDS TAMSIN COCKS


of premium seats will also feature on the carrier’s next ten Airbus deliveries, arriving from Q4 2026. This does, however, mean


that Virgin Atlantic will lose its Loft social bar area – though fans have until 2030 to drown their sorrows in the skies. Alternatively, guests can enjoy cocktails at the Clubhouse lounges at London Heathrow and New York JFK, both of which will receive millions in investment.


AI awaits A new app will launch at the end of 2025, complete with a new Concierge service in partnership with OpenAI and Tomoro.ai. The voice- supported technology will offer naturalised, real-time updates, with passengers able to share screenshots, chat or type to the AI assistant for things such as advice or airport navigation.


Loyalty gains Another development is the announcement of a multi- year loyalty programme, designed to give infrequent flyers the opportunity to gain status. Virgin operates a fixed-tier point structure and claims to offer the fastest tier progression of any loyalty programme. Details of how the multi-year recognition will work are yet to be revealed.


Wifi wonders Staying connected in the air will become even easier thanks to Virgin’s introduction of free streaming-quality Starlink wifi across all cabins for Flying Club members. The carrier will begin


installing the technology onto its Airbus A350 aircraft at the start of 2026, with the whole fleet expected to be online by the end of 2027. As shown by carriers


like Qatar Airways, Starlink’s NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2025


network of low Earth orbit satellites is a game changer in terms of offering fast, reliable connectivity in the air. Passengers will be able to stream, game and stay connected seamlessly on multiple devices.


Bye bye, bar Virgin is also retrofitting its entire Boeing 787-9 fleet to reflect the popular A330neo seat products, though passengers will have to wait until 2028 for the roll-out.


The configuration of the aircraft will change, with drastically more premium seats. Premium economy will increase to 56 seats from 35, while Upper Class (business) will increase to 44 from 31 – complete with six Retreat Suites (up from two). Economy seats, meanwhile, will decrease to 127 from 192. The


increased weighting


V IR GIN IN N U M B E R S


IT IS INVESTING US$23


IMPROVEMENT


BILLION IN FLEET


BY 2028, VIRGIN WILL OPERATE A FLEET OF 45 AIRCRAFT, WITH 19 A330-900, 12 A350-1000 AND 14


BOEING 787


DREAMLINERS WITH AN


AVERAGE AGE


OF JUST UNDER SEVEN YEARS


BUSINESS TRAVELLER ASIA-PACIFIC 13 AT LEAST


PREMIUM CABIN CONFIGURATION


45 AIRCRAFT WILL FEATURE THE HIGHER


24 OF THE


IMAGES PARK HYATT JOHANNESBURG; THE WHISKY LIVE FESTIVAL; VIRGIN ATLANTIC


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