Virgin Atlantic has unveiled a series of new experiences that will be exclusively available on its A350s, which have been designed specifically with leisure customers in mind.
On their initial A350s Virgin replaced the onboard bar with The Loft which had more of a lounge feel, but I wasn’t really a fan as it felt like sitting in a corridor. ‘The Booth’ is the latest version for Virgin Atlantic’s social spaces and is available on its A350s with a leisure configuration. These are on routes such as Orlando which are very leisure focussed. Tucked away in the Upper Class cabin, The Booth is there to create a cosy corner, providing comfy lounge-style seating. It now offers a number of experiences for two, including private dining and wine and cognac tasting.
I did wonder when I first saw the Booth quite how they would manage such a small space and what people would want to use it for. I think the idea for onboard experiences is great and not something I have really seen before. I’d definitely book one for the chance to do something different.
The wine tasting experience will see drinks by The Uncommon feature for the first time on-board Virgin Atlantic. The Uncommon is the UK’s number one producer of wine in a can and is paving the way for a new English wine era with its locally grown, sustainably made wine and spritzers. Customers in The Booth will be able to sample a curated selection of three wines from The Uncommon, which include an English White and Rose, alongside a lighter spritzer. I was given a box set a while ago by Virgin and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. Yes it’s not exactly a fine wine, but they were decent quality and light refreshing wines.
If you fancy something a bit stronger, a cognac tasting experience with chocolate pairings courtesy of Delamain is also available. Delamain has been crafting some of the world’s finest cognacs for over two centuries and across nine generations. Every Delamain cognac is crafted from deux-de-vie sourced from cognac’s finest terroir, the Grande Champagne. Every customer taking part in the tasting experience will reeive a tasting glass to keep as a memento of their Virgin Atlantic journey.
Further experiences on offer in The Booth include ‘Dinner for Two’ private dining for two and ‘Game Time’ where guests can compete with their travel partner thanks to exclusive Virgin Atlantic playing cards.
Customers on the airline’s London Heathrow to Orlando flights, which is at the heart of Virgin Atlantic’s leisure programme, will be the first to partake in the Booth’s new experiences from today.
Corneel Koster, Chief Customer and Operations Officer at Virgin Atlantic, commented;
“We always strive to create brilliantly different experiences for our customers and the introduction of The Booth demonstrates this perfectly. We’re famous for our on-board social spaces and The Booth elevates the customer proposition for our leisure travellers to new heights.
“Whether that’s sampling the leading English wines from The Uncommon, sipping Delamain’s signature cognac or simply enjoying a game of rummy at 38,000 feet, we’ve got something on offer to suit every one of our customers’ tastes.”
Virgin Atlantic’s social spaces provide an unique opportunity for customers to interact with each other, alongside the airline’s famous cabin crew. In the coming months the airline hopes to roll out further rich experiences for its customers across its entire fleet.
What do you think of these new experiences? Would you book one if you were on board? Let us know in the comments below.
2 comments
Call me a snob, but I simply do not drink wine from a can or a box. If there were three premium French reds or chardonnay, that would be the classy way to do it. The cognac tasting has hope, as long as they serve water and possibly fresh coffee with it.
Seems a bit extreme for an April Fools Day joke – but as Virgin are just after gimmicks these days, nothing surprises me.
Instead of targeting all the advertising to social media and the teens to twenties who can’t afford the Upper Class (or Virgin Cruise) experience, why not focus on improving customer service access and value instead.
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