Virgin Australia has unveiled its new Airbus A330 business class cabin which features the longest and widest lie-flat beds than any other domestic business class seat in the world.
The new business offering includes fully lie-flat beds, 16 inch touch screens, a retractable privacy screen and a tablet holder with an additional side console for more workspace.
The seats are a hammock design with no metal bars for extra comfort including a turndown service with memory foam mattress toppers and high-grade cotton pillows and doonas. There will also be direct aisle access for every seat in a 1-2-1 configuration.
In addition to the new seats, Virgin said its A330 fleet will be the first aircraft in the world to have the Nespresso by B/E Aerospace machines serving coffee to passengers at 40,000 feet.
The airline announced a collaboration with Nespresso so that passengers can “get a decent coffee for a change,” said Virgin Australia CEO, John Borghetti.
The latest offering, part of the airline’s strategy to up its competitive edge in the domestic Australian market, “sets a new standard in domestic business class around the world,” Virgin Australia chief executive John Borghetti told CNBC.
Australia’s second largest airline has been struggling to return to profitability, hampered in part by a weak performance from its international business.
Under the redesign, business class cabins have been changed to a one-two-one configuration so that each seat, which is 80 inches long and 28 inches wide, has access to the aisle. Center seats are fitted with sliding screens for extra privacy. All business class travelers will have the option of a hotel-style turn-down service.
The airline will offload routes from Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth to Bali to its subsidiary Tigerair Australia from March, and will discontinue its Perth to Phuket service in January.
Today we launched the world’s longest and widest fully lie-flat bed in domestic business class on our A330 aircraft. pic.twitter.com/rnIAC8t8kC
— Virgin Australia (@VirginAustralia) August 17, 2015
