Above: The longest bar in the sky.
The British carrier Virgin Atlantic has recently unveiled its new business class on the Airbus A330-300 route between London’s Heathrow and New York’s JFK airport. Four years of research and US$150 million have been invested in the new Upper Class Dream Suite and the finished product boasts an entirely new cabin as well as a 1,000-square-meter lounge at JFK airport.
There are 33 seats in the Upper Class, designed by Virgin’s in-house team and Pengelly Design. The airline says that passengers cannot find a longer business class bed than its 220cm Dream Suite.
Gareth Southall, senior designer at Virgin Atlantic, has also set a marker for Virgin’s competitors in other parts of the cabin. At 2.7 meters and with room for up to eight passengers, the A300’s futuristic bar is the longest in the sky and offers a well-lit space to socialize with fellow passengers.
Each seat has a 12.1-inch touchscreen monitor featuring the airline’s new JAM entertainment system. Passengers can also connect their own tablets or phones to watch or listen to their own content.
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- The airline boasts the world’s longest business class flat bed.
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- Champagne is served in new coupe glassware.
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- The cabin has been fitted with new windows to maximize natural light.
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- Passengers can connect tablet and mobile devices to the airline’s new entertainment system.
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- The design team has configured the seating with privacy in mind.
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- Each Dream Suite features personalized light settings.
