In the Face of First-Class Competition, Virgin America Opts for Pillows & Duvets Over Lie-Flat Seats

Instead of adding lie-flat seats to first class, Virgin America is taking on its competition with pillows and duvets.

Virgin America doesn’t appear to be feeling the pressure an increasing number of competitors are laying on by offering lie-flat seats on cross-country flights. Instead, the carrier is responding to its competition with the promise of better amenities in its premium class. In an interview with Bloomberg, airline representatives outlined a plan to add more comfortable pillows and duvets as part of a bid to allure travelers and keep them flying Virgin America.

“We’re content with the seats we have,” Virgin America CEO David Cush told Bloomberg. “We’re holding our own, there’s no doubt about it. Our goal is to hang onto our customers and price it fairly.”

Instead of lie-flat seating, Virgin America currently offers leather seats with a lumbar massager and 165-degree reclining capabilities. Over the next month, however, the airline is planning to upgrade its first-class experience with full-size pillows and duvets. In addition, Virgin America will add improvements to its first-class dining menu, although the airline has yet to elaborate what those changes will look like.

The commitment to the current first-class product comes as other competitors, including JetBlue and American Airlines, are remodeling their cabins in an attempt to attract more customers. According to Cush, Virgin America’s current approach has helped the airline both gain and retain its customers over the long term.

Cush told Bloomberg that creating specialized cabins for select routes — such as how JetBlue Airways launched Mint, a premier-class product, on flights between John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and two California destinations — is not a cost-effective measure, as those aircraft have limited usage for only cross-country flights.

“We’ve held onto our customers, albeit at a lower fare, because of the impact of Mint,” said Cush. “As of now, we are sticking to our guns.”

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