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The first of Virgin Australia’s refurbished Boeing 777 aircraft is now in service! Virgin is currently refurbishing their entire long-haul fleet with new suites in Business class, an on-board bar and brand new Premium Economy seats. These aircraft will operate on Virgin’s routes to Los Angeles and Abu Dhabi.
Virgin’s new Boeing 777 Business class looks like an excellent product, rivalling all airlines flying on the trans-Pacific route.
The design of the new Business class suites is based on Virgin’s “The Business” product on their A330 aircraft. In a 1-2-1 configuration, each comfortable suite offers direct aisle access. The seats also convert into wide, fully-flat beds that can be made up with a duvet and mattress for a comfortable night’s sleep.
The Business Class suites have the memory foam mattress and duvet. They are stored in cupboards and the crew will make up your “bed” whenever you request them to do so.
The new Business class also features a new on-board bar located behind row 7, between the two Business class mini-cabins.
The bar area does look good. Looking forward to trying the new J seats and bar this Sunday!
Premium Economy is also receiving a small makeover. In a 2-4-2 configuration, each seat will now feature several more inches of extra legroom. However, the number of Premium Economy seats available will shrink from 38 to 24.
The first of the refurbished aircraft (VH-VPD) is currently flying every second day between Sydney and Los Angeles. For the month of May, it’s expected to operate on even-numbered days between the two cities. More flights will become available once further aircraft refurbishments have been completed.
The refurbishments, completed in Lake Charles in the United States, have not gone entirely smoothly. It was originally announced that they would be completed months ago, but the project has been plagued by delays. While the refurbishments are completed, Virgin has also pulled out of the Sydney-Abu Dhabi route. With a fifth of their long-haul fleet out of service for the coming months, Virgin’s Abu Dhabi flights will be operated by Etihad Airways instead. Nevertheless, it appears the wait will have been worthwhile.
Join the discussion, and view our members’ pictures of the refurbished cabins HERE.
