[AMcWhirter]

Virgin Atlantic, as with British Airways, is having problems with the RR engines on its new B787s.

It is therefore leasing a number of ex-Air Berlin A330s which will be rostered for selected flights in spring and summer 2018.

What it means is that the onboard accommodation will be different. So business class will have a different layout and there will be no premium economy cabin.

These are the routes/flights/dates rostered for the Air Berlin A330s.

https://www.virginatlantic.com/gb/en/travel-information/travel-news.html

[MartynSinclair]

For the die hard VS Upper class fans this will give them the opportunity to sample a ‘new VS seat style’. A fully forward facing, fully automatic and open (not coffin like seat).

I hope a regular VS traveller will post some comments…

[Defcon5]

If you’re referring to the old J class seat on the A330 which was known as ‘the coffin’ then this will be an improvement. I am sure though by the end of 2018 these will have been retrofitted with the new J seat (which is much better) and Premium.

The A350 is due in 2019, it will be interesting to see what that looks like.

Still the best J cabin across the Atlantic.

[Tom Otley]

Virgin Atlantic takes ex-Air Berlin A330 aircraft

[AlanOrton1]

I don’t think the article mentions anything about the J seat being swapped out / replaced.

As for VS being ‘still the best J cabin across the Atlantic’ – I would beg to differ!!

The J cabin on the 773 operated by AA would get my vote. Having had the fortune, or misfortune, to travel on all the various different variants offered, with the exception of DL, the AA seat (similar to CX), I think shades it.

[Tom Otley]

Yes, I think it is significant that Virgin mentions that it will introduce its premium economy cabin onto the aircraft at the end of the year, but no mention is made of its Upper Class seat (and it would seem to be the logical time to do it if it was going to be done).

It’s interesting the debate about the best business class seat. That’s the question I’m asked the most. I might start a thread about that.

[Tom Otley]

… and now one of the A340-600s returns

Virgin Atlantic’s new livery offers thanks

[FDOS_UK]

Tom Otley wrote:

Yes, I think it is significant that Virgin mentions that it will introduce its premium economy cabin onto the aircraft at the end of the year, but no mention is made of its Upper Class seat (and it would seem to be the logical time to do it if it was going to be done). It’s interesting the debate about the best business class seat
. That’s the question I’m asked the most. I might start a thread about that.

Difficult to standardise the assessment criteria to make that comparison meaningful, because there are so many personal preferences – e.g. I don’t mind putting my feet into a space when sleeping, others hate it.

[Author]

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