Virgin Australia has unveiled a new ‘prototype’ cabin in two of the airline’s 9 new Boring 737-800 aircrafts.
Mirroring the configuration of Virgin’s existing Boeing 737-800 fleet interior, eight new business-class and 162 economy seats have been fitted with a new horizontal rib design, which aims to support and comfort.
The most significant change will be in business class, where seats will recline a further seven inches (18 cms) than the current seats – an increase of 40 per cent, with additional adjustable foot and leg rests.
Other changes to business class seats include cocktail tables, movable tray tables with in-built device holders and additional in-seat storage for personal items, including a charging port.
In economy, the safety card and menu storage has been moved to the top of the seat, creating more legroom, and an adjustable seatback device holder, which can accommodate various sizes of smartphones and tablets.
The new interiors for Virgin were unveiled as the airline launched its own TikTok account, which featured a video of the new seats being installed. The airline will await feedback from passengers, before rolling the design out to other aircraft.
“Virgin Australia is committed to being a customer-led business, so once we receive feedback from our guests and crew, we’ll consider implementing elements of the new design as our fleet grows,” said group chief customer and digital officer, Paul Jones.
“We’re looking forward to seeing how the new design will influence our fleet moving forward as we continue to expand our fleet and network as the market recovers,” he said.
In December the airline announced it had renegotiated its deal with Boeing for new 737 MAX aircraft. It will now take delivery of 25 of the larger MAX 10, starting in mid-2023. Boeing 737s currently make up the vast majority of the airline’s fleet, accounting for 70 of Virgin’s 86 aircraft.
