Travel

Virgin Atlantic’s brand new A350 has its best economy seats yet with extra legroom, much bigger screens and no painful ear pop


VIRGIN Atlantic’s brand new Airbus A350-1000 has taken flight this month, promising customers a cocktail of comfort, luxury and technology.

And the new aircraft features big upgrades across all three cabins as I found aboard one of its first flights from London to New York.

 Virgin's first A350 is called Red Velvet

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Virgin’s first A350 is called Red Velvet

The first thing all passengers will notice when boarding is the wider and taller cabin, made possible thanks to the new composite material Airbus is using.

It means more room for passengers and a more spacious feel to the cabin.

The cabin is also pressurised to a much lower altitude for a more comfortable flight – it’s especially good for babies and young kids as your ears are less likely to pop.

In Economy, super-thin chairs leave plenty of legroom, while the screens are now a whopping 11.6 inches – that’s even bigger than Virgin’s old Upper Class screens.

As well as over 100 hours of movies and 300 hours of TV shows, a new tail cam offers all customers an incredible high definition live view from outside of the aircraft.

Plus, if passengers want to watch a movie but still see where they are on the map, you can now pair your smartphone or tablet to use as a second screen.

 The economy seats now offer more legroom

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The economy seats now offer more legroomCredit: Virgin Atlantic
 Passengers can see their journey via the tail cam

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Passengers can see their journey via the tail cam

There’s the obligatory USB port for charging, more storage and a six-point adjustable headrest for trying to get some shut-eye.

Passengers in the middle of the plane will find a redesigned Premium cabin with custom leather seats, multiple USB ports and a larger 13.3 inch screen.

While in Virgin’s famous Upper Class, it’s a world of luxury.

Here, guests will have their own private booth in the sky with seats, complete with an 18.5-inch touch screen.

Almost as soon as you’re in the air, Virgin Atlantic’s world-class flight attendants get busy preparing your food. Options included a prawn salad, Hertfordshire short rib and a chocolate hazelnut tart.

 Upper Class is completely lie flat

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Upper Class is completely lie flatCredit: Virgin Atlantic
 Every Upper Class passenger gets an eco-friendly amenity bag

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Every Upper Class passenger gets an eco-friendly amenity bag
 Probably the best pie in the sky

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Probably the best pie in the sky

Plastic containers are none-existent in the Upper Class cabin. Instead, you are given proper metal knives and forks with actual plates. Having a cup of tea? You get it in a real mug.

Virgin’s iconic bar area has been replaced by The Loft. The airline’s largest in-air communal space yet, it feels more like a hotel lobby than a pub, making it a better space for those who don’t drink.

And if the personal 18.5 inch screen in front of the lie flat seat isn’t big enough, then Upper customers can connect bluetooth headphones to The Loft’s 32 inch screen.

Daniel Kerzner, Virgin’s vice president of customer, told Sun Online Travel: “We’ve been working on this project for over four years.

 The Loft is perfect for mingling

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The Loft is perfect for minglingCredit: Virgin Atlantic

“We’ve looked at every detail of the aircraft from the upper class suites, the Loft social space, premium seats to the economy cabin.

“What’s really unique for us at Virgin Atlantic is that it’s our most comfortable economy cabin ever.

“The screens in economy are actually bigger than the Upper Class screens in the rest of our fleet. We’ve really tried to give our passengers the best experience we can.”

Virgin Atlantic has 12 Airbus A350-1000s on order with all due to be in operation by 2021.

For now, you can catch them between Heathrow and NYC, with LA receiving the A350 from next year.

Virgin Atlantic fans also rave about the “Virgin Bubble” on some of its flights.

Last year, the airline also added a range of perks for economy passengers.

Sun Online Travel previously revealed how plane food on business and economy planes really compare.





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