Virgin Atlantic to install double beds
Jun 7, 1999, 3:53 pm
#1
Original Member
Original Poster
Join Date: May 1998
Location: In protest of Flyertalk's uncalledfor censoring of my point of view, I cancelled my InsideFlyer subscription. So long, and thanks for everything.
Posts: 3,325
Virgin Atlantic to install double beds
First I thought to type, " No more Virgins on Virgin"...then I thought of "$99 sleeping companion certificates, per hour".....then "flying fraternization".
But finally, I decided on passing on comments entirely. There are no words for this. I had to read it off the wires three times to make sure It wasn't my imagination.
From Bloomberg news:
Virgin Atlantic Aims to Outdo BA With Double Beds
London, June 7 (Bloomberg) -- Richard Branson, the British
billionaire entrepreneur, is again trying to trump British
Airways Plc by offering a new amenity on his Virgin Atlantic
Airways -- double beds for ``business travelers and their
partners.''
Branson also is equipping Virgin Atlantic's business class
sections with single beds and offering other perks, such as in-
flight beauty treatments and larger cocktail lounges, following
BA's announcement last month it would be adding new single
sleeper seats for business customers.
Europe's airlines are pushing to distinguish their business-
class service as competition, particularly on North Atlantic
routes, has led to a decline in ticket prices and earnings. BA
announced its new flying beds the same day it reported its second
consecutive quarterly loss as revenue from premium-paying
passengers plummeted.
``Obviously premium-class travelers are where your profits
come from, and to attract them, you either have to offer very
good service or something different that people want,'' said Andy
Murphy, an analyst with WestLB Panmure in London.
Paul Moore, a Virgin spokesman, said even though it's
changing the seats into reclining beds the airline won't have to
remove any seats because each bed will be tilted at a slight
angle, with the feet of one passenger resting below the bed in
front. Single beds can be converted to doubles to give the
airline flexibility.
As for the issue of double beds and privacy, Moore noted the
background noise in an airplane cabin is 78 decibels, sufficient
to drown out a lot of noise. He said the airline will experiment
with putting curtains around double beds.
``Our philosophy is that we want passengers to enjoy
themselves as much as possible as long as they don't annoy other
passengers,'' Moore said.
Virgin Atlantic's other, older perks, aimed at
distinguishing it from BA, its main competitor, include in-flight
massages, fittings for tailored suits and trips for frequent
flyers to Branson's private island in the British Virgin Islands.
Branson said his airline would spend 37 million British
pounds ($59 million) to introduce single sleeper seats in all its
business class cabins by the end of 2000, with the double beds
coming in late 2000.
The money also will be used for a new design for its plane
fuselages featuring the Union Jack, the British flag, the emblem
BA dropped two years ago and decided to restore last weekend in
the wake of public criticism.
BA began painting its planes with images drawn from sources
such as Chinese calligraphy and Egyptian tent paintings in an
effort to update an image considered aloof and arrogant. The 60
million-pound ($96.7 million) exercise came under public attack
from the likes of Baroness Thatcher, the former British prime
minister, who draped her handkerchief over a model sporting one
of the designs.
``Our global image has been popular around the world,'' said
Robert Ayling, BA's chief executive. ``And now British people,
who represent 40 percent of BA's passengers, want something which
reflects their culture.''
But finally, I decided on passing on comments entirely. There are no words for this. I had to read it off the wires three times to make sure It wasn't my imagination.
From Bloomberg news:
Virgin Atlantic Aims to Outdo BA With Double Beds
London, June 7 (Bloomberg) -- Richard Branson, the British
billionaire entrepreneur, is again trying to trump British
Airways Plc by offering a new amenity on his Virgin Atlantic
Airways -- double beds for ``business travelers and their
partners.''
Branson also is equipping Virgin Atlantic's business class
sections with single beds and offering other perks, such as in-
flight beauty treatments and larger cocktail lounges, following
BA's announcement last month it would be adding new single
sleeper seats for business customers.
Europe's airlines are pushing to distinguish their business-
class service as competition, particularly on North Atlantic
routes, has led to a decline in ticket prices and earnings. BA
announced its new flying beds the same day it reported its second
consecutive quarterly loss as revenue from premium-paying
passengers plummeted.
``Obviously premium-class travelers are where your profits
come from, and to attract them, you either have to offer very
good service or something different that people want,'' said Andy
Murphy, an analyst with WestLB Panmure in London.
Paul Moore, a Virgin spokesman, said even though it's
changing the seats into reclining beds the airline won't have to
remove any seats because each bed will be tilted at a slight
angle, with the feet of one passenger resting below the bed in
front. Single beds can be converted to doubles to give the
airline flexibility.
As for the issue of double beds and privacy, Moore noted the
background noise in an airplane cabin is 78 decibels, sufficient
to drown out a lot of noise. He said the airline will experiment
with putting curtains around double beds.
``Our philosophy is that we want passengers to enjoy
themselves as much as possible as long as they don't annoy other
passengers,'' Moore said.
Virgin Atlantic's other, older perks, aimed at
distinguishing it from BA, its main competitor, include in-flight
massages, fittings for tailored suits and trips for frequent
flyers to Branson's private island in the British Virgin Islands.
Branson said his airline would spend 37 million British
pounds ($59 million) to introduce single sleeper seats in all its
business class cabins by the end of 2000, with the double beds
coming in late 2000.
The money also will be used for a new design for its plane
fuselages featuring the Union Jack, the British flag, the emblem
BA dropped two years ago and decided to restore last weekend in
the wake of public criticism.
BA began painting its planes with images drawn from sources
such as Chinese calligraphy and Egyptian tent paintings in an
effort to update an image considered aloof and arrogant. The 60
million-pound ($96.7 million) exercise came under public attack
from the likes of Baroness Thatcher, the former British prime
minister, who draped her handkerchief over a model sporting one
of the designs.
``Our global image has been popular around the world,'' said
Robert Ayling, BA's chief executive. ``And now British people,
who represent 40 percent of BA's passengers, want something which
reflects their culture.''
Jun 8, 1999, 4:55 am
#5
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Oxford, United Kingdom
Posts: 1,976
From the BBC...
Mr Branson said: "The air hostesses would have to see what you do on take-off and on landing - but in between is up to you."
"The legitimate mile high club is born," he told reporters at the official unveiling at Schiphol East Airport in Amsterdam.
The man is a master of publicity, but unfortunately also of tat.
J.
Mr Branson said: "The air hostesses would have to see what you do on take-off and on landing - but in between is up to you."
"The legitimate mile high club is born," he told reporters at the official unveiling at Schiphol East Airport in Amsterdam.
The man is a master of publicity, but unfortunately also of tat.
J.
Jun 8, 1999, 7:09 am
#6
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Niceville, FL, USA
Posts: 2,793
Now, if they put microphones in every seat, then pipe that to a channel you can access like UA's pilot's channel, you could wind up with some VERY interesting in-flight entertainment.
Sorry, must be the early hour. I feel like I've already put in a day's work, and it's only...7:09 am!
[This message has been edited by hnechets (edited 06-08-1999).]
Sorry, must be the early hour. I feel like I've already put in a day's work, and it's only...7:09 am!
[This message has been edited by hnechets (edited 06-08-1999).]
Jun 8, 1999, 7:48 am
#7
Commander Catcop
Join Date: May 1998
Posts: 10,259
I think I could have problems sleeping in these Virgin beds.
I can't sleep on the plane anyway so I would come off with such jetlag.
In addition:
*I'm worried I too big (6 ft 2) and will roll off a Virgin bed.
*There are friends of mine who snore louder than the hum of the plane. How can I sleep with that?
But by reading these posts I think I'll stick to sleeping on British Air!
OMNI to My buddy Hnechets: Now you know how I feel about early mornings. WHne ya'll just wiping your eyes I've already put in half a days work! But that's the news biz!
------------------
MEOW! MEOW! MEOW!!!
I can't sleep on the plane anyway so I would come off with such jetlag.
In addition:
*I'm worried I too big (6 ft 2) and will roll off a Virgin bed.
*There are friends of mine who snore louder than the hum of the plane. How can I sleep with that?
But by reading these posts I think I'll stick to sleeping on British Air!
OMNI to My buddy Hnechets: Now you know how I feel about early mornings. WHne ya'll just wiping your eyes I've already put in half a days work! But that's the news biz!
------------------
MEOW! MEOW! MEOW!!!