Wow. VS announce 787refurb, free Starlink WiFi & other news

My mate just told me some very exciting developments.

Watch this space!











[thread title edited by moderator ……………Nick ]

Ooo now I am intrigued

Seen a post online.

Virgin Atlantic to refurbish their B787-9 aircraft, with new seating to match the A330neo fleet alongside increasing Upper Class & Premium seats, as well as featuring 8 Retreat Suites

The A330neos will feature an enhanced premium layout - with new aircraft inc. 6 Retreat Suites

It’s all detailed here:

https://corporate.virginatlantic.com/gb ... ience.html

Virgin Atlantic will be the first UK airline to introduce free, streaming-quality, unlimited Wi-Fi throughout its fleet, using Starlink technology, with rollout completing in 2027

Its Boeing 787-9 fleet will undergo complete cabin refurbishment, introducing increased premium cabins from 2028, with design inspired by the A330neo

Starting Q3 2026, ten A330neo aircraft will join the fleet with larger premium cabins; six Retreat Suites, 48 Upper Class, and 56 Premium seats

Following the successful launch of the LAX Clubhouse, the airline will invest in Clubhouses at London Heathrow and New York JFK

A new app, focused on Flying Club with improved personalization, will launch later this year – the World of Virgin Atlantic in Your Pocket
First European airline to partner with OpenAI, integrating real-time voice and emotionally intelligent AI concierge services

Flying Club to roll out a programme acknowledging multi-year loyalty for guests who do not travel often enough to achieve tier status progression

All sounds amazing, about time B787 gets an upgrade.
Shame it only starts from 2028.
Great getting free WiFi , even though that will only be fully rolled out by end 2027.

Very impressed with the news.
And I’m hoping that with a massive increase of UC seats available, reward seat prices will decrease

I can imagine with the B787 retreat suites it’ll be like AF: Row 1 both window and 2 middle seats will be R.suites and then after door 2L it’ll be the first row all R.suites.
So that’s the 8 retreat suites.
So a bigger UC cabin and smaller UC cabin like AF. And same with the bigger A339.

Must say; I’m going to hold off a 2028,2029 booking and just do Europe, so I can save up for 2030 and 2031 trips.
Looking forward to seeing the new and improved Virgin Atlantic.

Looks like the bar is going to make way for extra seating on the 787s.

SRB won’t be happy!

The wifi kinda excites me, not for the great speed but just for the fact it might actually work. Its abysmal on the A350's that I have been on and is certainly not worth the money they currently charge.

I don't want to spend a flight listening to other passengers shouting "I'm on a plane" but to be able to download some music or surf the net a little without it timing out and crashing has got to be a bonus.

With the announcement of more A330-900's coming does anyone have up to date fleet list ?

thanks

David

The wifi kinda excites me, not for the great speed but just for the fact it might actually work. Its abysmal on the A350's that I have been on and is certainly not worth the money they currently charge.

I don't want to spend a flight listening to other passengers shouting "I'm on a plane" but to be able to download some music or surf the net a little without it timing out and crashing has got to be a bonus.

With the announcement of more A330-900's coming does anyone have up to date fleet list ?

thanks

David

Indeed it’s about time that they had free WiFi. Delta do, and worked great on my recent flight from JFK-LHR. AF do as well. And I agree for £18-£20 per flight, their WiFi is shocking.

In regards to Neo order, I found this from another forum, don’t know if it’s still up to date.

https://jethroseu.co.uk/fleets/fleet_li ... _order.htm

I do wonder what the Retreat suite prices will be on the new Neos with 6 suites and 787s with 8 suites. I wonder if the price will decrease, or increase (in theory should level out as more availability).

I don't think more aircraft have been ordered. VS last tinkered with the orders about a year or so ago to modify the A330neo order and cancel the remaining A350s on order (unless the ordered was switched to additional A330neo's?).

I suspect what's likely to happen is that future A330neo's delivered will be in this lower density config. This will mean they are either deployed on select routes like how lower density A350s are now and the 747s before them or A330neo's already delivered will eventually be reconfigured. I can see merits in standardising as it will maintain flexibility like with the A330-300s and 787s, but then not all routes need so many Upper seats and shouldn't be a problem having one aircraft type in different configs providing they are deployed suitably.

I disagree. Having two configs works with the A350, so two configs for the 339 shouldn’t be a problem. There must be routes where upper class is busier and economy is quiet and vice versa.

Meh... that's all.

I do think VS needs some fresh thinking. This is just trying to keep up in a competitive environment, it isn't innovative or forward looking.

[Nottingham Nick]

. ……., it isn't innovative or forward looking.

I’m afraid it’s many a long year since VS have been either of those things, unless you believe the guff that the PR people spout.

At least this list of proposals shows someone is actually trying to make the future bright. It appears they plan to actually spend money on something other than bonuses for gaffers!

I am filled with a little more optimism but, as always, the proof will be in the delivery not the press release.

Nick

I feel like there is no pleasing people.
Didn’t the Neo when press released, live up to the expectations when finally came into operation?

Free WiFi , which no other airline in the UK does. Free UC and PR seating, even BA charge for seating.
Lowest possible redemptions, 29k per seat in UC per majority of May LHR-JFK; redemption prices falling US-UK.
Complain about the coffin seats, they’re getting rid of them.
Whilst I haven’t been their biggest fan recently, especially with the food I’ve had served (which will be their next challenge to address ), credit is due here to Virgin for all these changes they are implementing. It’s not perfect, but no airline company is.
But at least a standardised modernised fleet.

I feel like there is no pleasing people.
Didn’t the Neo when press released, live up to the expectations when finally came into operation?

Free WiFi , which no other airline in the UK does. Free UC and PR seating, even BA charge for seating.
Lowest possible redemptions, 29k per seat in UC per majority of May LHR-JFK; redemption prices falling US-UK.
Complain about the coffin seats, they’re getting rid of them.
Whilst I haven’t been their biggest fan recently, especially with the food I’ve had served (which will be their next challenge to address ), credit is due here to Virgin for all these changes they are implementing. It’s not perfect, but no airline company is.
But at least a standardised modernised fleet.

Many airlines offer Free WifI in business and first class. no reason Vs could not have implemented that years ago

I feel like there is no pleasing people.
Didn’t the Neo when press released, live up to the expectations when finally came into operation?

Free WiFi , which no other airline in the UK does. Free UC and PR seating, even BA charge for seating.
Lowest possible redemptions, 29k per seat in UC per majority of May LHR-JFK; redemption prices falling US-UK.
Complain about the coffin seats, they’re getting rid of them.
Whilst I haven’t been their biggest fan recently, especially with the food I’ve had served (which will be their next challenge to address ), credit is due here to Virgin for all these changes they are implementing. It’s not perfect, but no airline company is.
But at least a standardised modernised fleet.

Many airlines offer Free WifI in business and first class. no reason Vs could not have implemented that years ago

Yes I know Delta offers free WiFi on international flights, but BA, AA certainly don’t, and if some do - like you said it’s just for Business / FC. Where it’ll be for all pax on Virgin.
But besides this; can’t actually believe people are complaining that’s what they are doing isn’t good enough.

But besides this; can’t actually believe people are complaining that’s what they are doing isn’t good enough.

I don’t think posters are complaining—they’re just correctly pointing out that this doesn’t exactly set Virgin up for the next decade of world-class travel. All it really does is bring them to a level they arguably should’ve been at for the past decade.

Virgin used to have an edge, but that disappeared a long time ago. If these changes had been announced in 2012, I think more of us would be genuinely excited.

We also still need to see the new Upper Class seat design. Once again, this won’t be a standardized fleet—the PR says “inspired by…” so let’s see what that actually means in practice.

Fast forward a few years and we’ll know how it’s really turned out. But for now, we all know what Virgin press releases are like.

I disagree. Having two configs works with the A350, so two configs for the 339 shouldn’t be a problem. There must be routes where upper class is busier and economy is quiet and vice versa.

If you read my last sentence again, I made that point that having two different configs would be fine providing they’re deployed suitably and I agree that demand isn’t consistent across all routes to justify a single config for all aircraft.

But besides this; can’t actually believe people are complaining that’s what they are doing isn’t good enough.

I don’t think posters are complaining—they’re just correctly pointing out that this doesn’t exactly set Virgin up for the next decade of world-class travel. All it really does is bring them to a level they arguably should’ve been at for the past decade.

Virgin used to have an edge, but that disappeared a long time ago. If these changes had been announced in 2012, I think more of us would be genuinely excited.

We also still need to see the new Upper Class seat design. Once again, this won’t be a standardized fleet—the PR says “inspired by…” so let’s see what that actually means in practice.

Fast forward a few years and we’ll know how it’s really turned out. But for now, we all know what Virgin press releases are like.

I do understand your points which are valid. However, we have to remember that Virgin have only just made a profit since before the pandemic. They’ve already spent billions on the Neo aircraft.

For a small airline as opposed to BA, Delta and the likes; I guess changes and improvements takes time.

They are never going to be Emirates or the likes.
Even the B787 are still a pretty young ish fleet, and for the time it was, was a good J product. Times have changed and the style is outdated. Shane Weiss even commented in an interview a few weeks ago that Airbus order book is full until 2030/2031, hence why they’ve decided to refit B787 and not order more Neo or A350.
Starting 2028 as that’s when all Neo will be delivered and all A330 retired.

I think the Neo and A350 are great products especially in J.

Yes: whilst they’ve said « inspired by Neo » I don’t think it’ll be totally different to the Neo now.
They might get rid of the loft type thing they have on the Neo for more space. But I also think »inspired » comes from also having 6/8 retreat suites as opposed to 2.

Besides, more seats in J, should in turn (hopefully and wishful thinking) mean a few more saver reward seats on offer and perhaps slightly cheaper cash fares.

My favourite bit of these announcements is the plan to have more seats in PE and UC which will hopefully improve lower points availability.

It has to make better business sense as well. Coming home from Orlando last year my Son was in PE and had injured his foot - we asked if there was any UC availability to upgrade so he could stretch out, there wasn't, but he was offered an entire row in EC as to quote 'there's hardly anyone down there!'