Virgin Atlantic starts to fit Upper Class Suite into Gatwick Fleet

The first aircraft of Virgin Atlantic's Gatwick fleet is now operating with the airlines' new Upper Class Suite less than a year after it was launched on the Heathrow fleet. The first Gatwick 747-400 aircraft with the Upper Class Suite operated on Sunday 24th October to Orlando. The Upper Class Suite is now operating on all flights to JFK, San Francisco, Tokyo and Hong Kong.

Sir Richard Branson, Chairman of Virgin Atlantic, commented, “We are very proud to be able to offer the Upper Class Suite to passengers departing from Gatwick less that a year after its launch. We are also pleased to announce that following the success and growing popularity of Premium Economy, Virgin Atlantic has expanded the number of seats in this cabin from 38 to 58 to meet demand from leisure passengers. Since we launched Premium Economy in 1992, it has been increasingly popular with passengers who wish to enjoy more space and flexibility along with a range of other services including a separate Check In and priority luggage.”

Virgin Atlantic has now completed fitting the Upper Class Suite onto its Heathrow based Boeing 747-400 fleet and its Airbus 340-600 fleet and is aiming to complete the Gatwick Boeing 747-400 fleet by the beginning of March. This brings the number of aircraft fitted with the Upper Class Suite to 16.

Virgin Atlantic operates services from Gatwick to Barbados, St Lucia, Antigua, Grenada, Tobago, Orlando, Las Vegas and Port Harcourt and will be introducing services to Cuba and the Bahamas in July 2005. The Gatwick 747-400’s will be configured with 14 Upper Class seats, 58 Premium Economy and 379 in Economy.

Virgin’s new Upper Class Suite, consists of a reclining leather seat for take off, a place to sit and eat a proper meal opposite a partner, one of the longest fully flat beds in the world with a proper mattress for sleeping on, a private onboard bar to drink at and four limousines per return trip.

See other recent news from: Virgin Atlantic