Latest news with #ShaiWeiss
Telegraph
21-07-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Some say Virgin's best days are behind it, but it still has an X-factor
From the moment its first flight took to the skies 41 years ago last month, Virgin Atlantic has raised the bar. Sir Richard Branson installed a real bar on the upper deck of his Boeing 747 jumbo jets with a bartender mixing martinis. Six of them for James Bond in Quantum of Solace. Bars on all his smaller jets followed, although my memories of when and how are a little hazy. An on-board beauty therapist offered back massages and manicures. 'BA don't give a shiatsu,' the Virgin advertisements at the time joked. Sporting lipstick-red uniforms with matching shoes and handbags, Virgin's trolley dollies (it was the 1980s) served ice cream in the cheap seats. From 1991 there were seatback TV screens in all cabins, a first for any carrier. Virgin was the first major airline to offer premium economy and its Upper Class suites were the first to give every business class passenger direct aisle access. Branson also pioneered a limousine airport transfer to and from airports and drive-in check-in. Small wonder we all upgraded to Virgin Atlantic. But now the bar is gone. Despite Branson's insistence in an interview with me last year that he would correct the 'dreadful mistake' of removing the bar on new jets in favour of a glorified sofa in a corridor called somewhat optimistically 'the loft', it is no more. Virgin's new Airbus A330s and refurbished Boeing 787 Dreamliners will, instead, have more seats, to increase revenue, its CEO Shai Weiss announced earlier this month at an event to chart the future of the carrier. Cue wails from passengers and cabin crew with great memories of a party at 39,000ft. Louise Virr, a former cabin crew member, wrote on Instagram: 'Such a shame. Those bars brought people together.' Her favourite memory? Colin Farrell having one too many 'and taking his top off two hours in'. Ah, the good old days. The bar, which will be phased out on existing jets by 2028 as Virgin refurbishes its fleet, is not the only innovation that Virgin has ditched. The on-board beauty therapist has long gone. So have the spas in the Clubhouses in London and New York. The bespoke suites in Upper Class, which were groundbreaking, have been replaced on the A330s with a standard seat used by dozens of other carriers tarted up with Virgin colours. Some now say Virgin's best days are behind it. 'Virgin Atlantic used to lead,' argues Henry Harteveldt of leading aviation analyst Atmosphere Research. 'But it has become a 'used to' airline. It used to be the innovator. It used to push boundaries. It stopped doing anything new years ago. Virgin is a 'past tense' airline.' Harteveldt has a point. The loft is a failure. I fly Virgin around a dozen times a year and I've yet to see anyone enjoying themselves in the space as they used to in the bar. Premium economy, once a world beater, is outgunned by Emirates and Cathay Pacific. But I'm not sure it is a mistake to axe the bar or that Virgin is on the wrong track. The world of aviation is today almost unrecognisable from 1984 when Virgin launched. Back then the bar was a good way for Virgin to differentiate itself from British Airways as cooler and more fun. But the new deep-pocketed Gulf carriers – Dubai's Emirates, Qatar Airways and the Abu Dhabi-based Etihad – have overtaken Virgin when it comes to showers and on-board lounges. The Emirates bar on its iconic Airbus A380 superjumbos boasts a table where four people can buckle up and drink and dine. Qatar's bar on its A380 is even bigger than Emirates's and offers seatbelts on its vast bench seats. Virgin's three bar stools are too small for seatbelts so, unlike on Emirates or Qatar, you have to return to your seat if turbulence strikes. What's more, when the Virgin bar was introduced passengers were held captive on planes, albeit with champagne. There was no Wi-Fi. Many travellers now prefer to work on board or to stream live sports or entertainment. Virgin will be the first UK airline to install superfast, reliable Starlink Wi-Fi which will be free for all passengers, Weiss announced earlier this month. The real battle for most airlines is to become more premium and offer bigger and better suites for high-spending customers. Virgin is increasing the number of Upper Class suites it has on its new and refurbished planes by up to 30 per cent and is creating up to eight vast Retreat Suites. The Retreat Suite has a 6ft 7in (2m) long fully flat bed, a 27in touch screen and the ottoman and table are big enough for couples to dine together facing each other. Retreat Suite passengers, who pay a few hundred pounds to upgrade, may in future receive better wines and food than those in the regular Upper Class suites. This will put Virgin Upper Class above BA Club World business class and take the fight to Qatar Airways' Qsuite and Cathay Pacific's new Aria Suite. Where Virgin has always been best in class – and where it can outgun its flashier Gulf competitors – is on service. Its cabin crew and ground staff are the most helpful of any carrier. They look as if they enjoy their jobs (unlike BA staff), and are not afraid to crack a joke. My favourite one is the story Branson told about an obnoxious passenger who would not wait in the check-in queue for a Virgin flight at Sydney airport, despite being repeatedly (but politely) asked to do so. The man eventually marched up to the nearest Virgin check-in desk and shouted 'F--- you!' at one of the female staff. Without hesitating she replied: 'I'm afraid you'll have to get in the queue for that too.' Since the Gulf carriers are creatures of globalisation, with multi-national crew and ground staff, they can lack personality and humour. Shai Weiss is right to dial up Virgin's 'red thread' of red hot service. But he needs to do more. As Harteveldt puts it: 'New generations of travellers, who never got to experience Virgin in its earlier years, can today be forgiven for seeing it as just another airline. It needs to find new ways to better and meaningfully distinguish itself from competitors.' For my money Weiss should start by bringing back the spa in the Clubhouses and Revivals arrivals lounge in London and New York as part of the refurbishment of Virgin's lounges which he also announced earlier this month. BA has done away with its Elemis spas and the Gulf carriers do not prioritise them. Bring back the treatments, Shai! You can charge if you like. If your sister carrier Delta can offer massages in its new Delta One lounges, so can you. We can hit the hotel bar afterwards – and dream of the days of mile-high fizz.
Telegraph
17-07-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
How prudish Gen Z sucked the fun out of flying
The revelation last week that Virgin Atlantic's onboard bars are to be consigned to history marks the end of an era for an airline that made its name by making flying fun. The bars' removal follows the gradual loss of other quirks that helped Sir Richard Branson's airline stand out from the crowd – and made rival British Airways appear drab by comparison – including in-flight massages and a putting green at Heathrow. By calling a halt to communal cocktails, Virgin Atlantic will use the space freed up in its Upper Class cabins to install more of its new 'retreat suite' seats – which allow four people to sit facing each other for impromptu business meetings. However, this represents more than a mere onboard makeover. It illustrates how Virgin is no longer targeting the baby boomers who once formed its core clientele, but rather a generation of sober youngsters more interested in being online than propping up the bar. Among a tech-heavy list of initiatives planned for the next few years are the rollout of free Wi-Fi provided by Elon Musk's Starlink, a completely new app, and an AI-powered virtual concierge service that the airline says will outdo Amazon's Alexa. The changes are part of a five-year overhaul at Virgin Atlantic, which has moved on from its brush with bankruptcy during Covid to recently post its first profit since 2016. Shai Weiss, Virgin's chief executive, told The Telegraph that he had a soft spot for many of the concepts that helped to create a party atmosphere at Virgin – but he admitted that the airline had to move with the times. 'I would love to do a lot of this stuff but that would be clinging on to the past and we are a forward-looking company,' he says. 'They will be gone, but replaced by other things. Right now, you can see it's going further with technology and generative AI. There'll be the concierge, the new app, the connectivity via Starlink. 'Our point is to be first, and these are all firsts, harnessing the best of the Virgin product in so many more ways.' Changing travel habits Mr Weiss, 57, says Virgin's strategy has always been one of 'continuous evolution'. He says services that were sharply on-trend when they launched have always fallen by the wayside as times and travel habits have changed. That includes the famed massage service, provided during flights on cordoned-off tables by a company-wide team of 280 beauty therapists. It was halted after almost two decades in 2008. 'People talk about the masseuse on the plane and the manicures and pedicures, but that's been gone for 15 years,' Mr Weiss says. Virgin Atlantic is also embarking on a remodelling of its Clubhouse airport lounges, which in their day were just as unique as its in-flight quirks. The first Virgin lounge opened at Gatwick in 1990, modelled on the bar at Raffles Hotel in Singapore. Complete with wicker chairs, replica palm trees and tropical murals, though garish by modern standards, it was the first in the industry to offer at-table food and drink service. It sparked a lounge arms race among leading carriers around the world. The opening of a far larger Heathrow lounge three years later saw Virgin expand on the idea of flying as fun – with a sprawling train set delivering snacks, a music room with soundproof walls and gadgets and games including ski simulators and a mini golf course. Later iterations of the Heathrow lounge included a cinema, library, spa and a hair salon, All those offerings are now long gone, with Covid most recently forcing the closure of the spa. Virgin's three Clubhouses – down from around 10 at their peak – now style themselves as offering five-star hotel-quality dining, while also seeking to cater for Millennials and Gen Z by marketing an area perfect for meditation. At Heathrow, a mini gym with three Peloton exercise bikes opened after the pandemic but was closed last year. Under Virgin's plans for the coming five years, the Heathrow and New York JFK lounges will be restyled and 'inspired by Hollywood' – though with their own local touches. Weiss says the aim will be to achieve 'an elevated version' of the Clubhouse rather than to reinvent it. While the future of Virgin Atlantic – which is 49pc owned by America's Delta Air Lines – may be pegged to advances in technology, it is also targeting more well-heeled travellers after a surge in demand for higher-priced tickets. This has also triggered a rethink about the layout of their jets. The existing economy, premium economy and business – or Upper Class – cabins will remain, but the latter two will be expanded so that they account for 45pc of seats. At the same time the number of suites in Upper Class, which sell for $300 (£224) more per flight, will increase from a maximum of two per plane to as many as eight – reconfiguring the 'social space' aboard and delivering a new flying experience. Mr Weiss says: 'When we start to have eight suites we can say that, if you need to do a business meeting or splash out on a bigger bed and a bigger screen, then you can. That's innovation. 'With modern retailing on board, with the connectivity, whether you want to have a premium drink or a special something for a birthday, or you want to host a meeting.' As for the barflies – including Sir Richard, who only a year ago described the decision to remove drinking areas from some planes as 'a dreadful mistake' – Mr Weiss says they will still have a chance to say goodbye to a relic of the old Virgin Atlantic. 'If you love the bar, they're only disappearing from 2028, so there's still time to enjoy them.'
The Independent
11-07-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Virgin Atlantic scraps popular feature because ‘the world has moved on'
Virgin Atlantic has announced that it will be scrapping its in-flight bars to make way for more seating areas, removing a feature from its planes that became a key characteristic of its premium flight experience. Richard Branson 's Virgin Atlantic became the first international carrier to offer a bar for passengers 30,000 feet in the air and the space helped create the well-known party atmosphere in the airline's upper classes. The airline has already discontinued the bar-lounge area on its newer planes, but it has recently been announced that they will also be taken out of older jets, too. The bars will be phased out, starting in the next three years, with the final one removed towards the end of the decade. Shai Weiss, Virgin's chief executive, said he will personally miss the bars, but he said they were starting to look old-fashioned, with the area taking up space that could otherwise be used for seats. 'At Virgin Atlantic, people love a bar. It's a very emotional word here. I love the bar and a lot of people love the bar,' he said, according to The Telegraph. 'But the world has moved on. You can't stand still. We've made the decision, a bold decision, to try to make more of that space.' The airline has made a U-turn on their bar feature. A year ago, Mr Branson vowed to bring the bars back after the 'dreadful mistake' of removing them. The billionaire entrepreneur said in June 2024: 'We're bringing back the bar as soon as we possibly can.' Virgin Atlantic started phasing out the bars in 2019 for a 'loft' space found between the upper class and premium economy. Avoiding the answer over why the decision had been made to scrap the bar in the first place, he added: 'If we make a mistake, let's own up to it quickly and sort it. That's what we'll do.' However, a final decision has now been made, and the bars will not be a permanent feature in Virgin Atlantic's flight experience. A Virgin Atlantic spokesperson told The Independent: 'We have loved the bar, but we have a new vision for social spaces; the retreat suites, the private space built for sharing and socialising. 'A home away from home and an office in the sky. Our guests can still enjoy the bars until 2028, and our other social space, The Loft, will continue to fly board our Airbus A350s and nine of our A330neos.' In 2026, Virgin Atlantic said 10 A330neo aircraft will join its fleet along with six Retreat Suites, larger premium cabins, 48 upper class and 56 premium suites. The Retreat Suite is the 'airline's most spacious suite yet', comprising of a 6ft 7' direct seat to a fully flat bed, a 27' touchscreen and an ottoman that doubles up as an extra seat. These suites will also become a feature on the 787-9 fleet. The suites were announced amid Virgin's recent shakeup of its flight experience, in which the airline also said it will be introducing free streaming-quality unlimited wifi through Elon Musk's Starlink technology by 2027. Cabin refurbishments on its Boeing fleet, new clubhouses at London Heathrow and New York JFK and an AI concierge service are also expected to debut over the coming years.
Metro
10-07-2025
- Metro
Virgin to offer free perk for all passengers — but will it ruin flying?
I don't dread a long-haul flight, in fact, I look forward to them. It's hours of time where I'm obliged to do nothing, except sit around, watch TV, and eat food hand-delivered to me. What's not to love? I've even been known to schedule flights during the day, so as not to waste a far-flung trip sleeping on a red-eye. And perhaps the best part of it all: I'm offline. There are no emails to reply to, or 'quick' bits of work I may as well finish while I'm waiting to reach my destination. I'm existing in one of the few internet-free spaces left in the world, and I'm thrilled about it. Of course, I could pay for the privilege of WiFi, but the cost is disincentive enough, and I don't fly First or Business enough (read: never) to get it for free. Fuel your wanderlust with our curated newsletter of travel deals, guides and inspiration. Sign up here. Except, times are changing. This week, Virgin Atlantic chief executive, Shai Weiss, said the airline plans to offer every passenger, no matter their travel class, with free, streaming-quality WiFi by 2027. Using Elon Musk's Starlink satellites, you'll be live and online, even at £35,000ft. It's clearly an exciting prospect for Shai, we claimed 'it's going to be massive', so we asked Metro readers whether they could settle the debate: will WiFi on board make the flying experience better? Or ruin a rare chance to disconnect? When asked, Metro readers were pretty keen on the idea of this Virgin 'perk'. In fact, reader Ben Coates said it was a 'must'. He wrote: 'To be able to scroll socials and stuff, maybe watch a bit of YouTube then… that is a must. 'If I can get free WiFi on a bus or train using the same or similar tech, then why can't I get on a plane and have the same service?' Others agreed. Dee Nicolas wrote: 'WIFi should be free!', and Audrey Geary added: 'Definitely free Wifi on all flights.' And Saira Afzal said: 'We don't want to disconnect completely, would love WiFi.' One nervous flier also said access to the internet could help with her anxiety. 'For me it would be brilliant as I'm a very bad flier. This would help with a distraction.' There was the odd lone voice who wasn't so keen on the idea though. Lyn Lennox shared her views saying: 'It's noisy enough on planes without the ignoramuses making WiFi calls.' Metro readers might look forward to a time where they can fly and scroll, but it might not be the progress it seems. According to psychologist Emma Kenny, this marks the 'further erosion of our boundaries.' Speaking to Metro, she explains: 'In a post-WiFi-at-30,000-feet world, the expectation to be constantly reachable doesn't stop at the gate. 'Business travelers may feel pressure to stay productive; anxious passengers may find themselves doomscrolling instead of escaping; even leisure flyers might find the temptation to check in irresistible. 'The plane used to be one of the last places we were allowed to be unavailable.' And, this change reflects a broader cultural shift. 'We're seeing the the disappearance of 'dead zones',' explains Emma. 'These are the physical spaces where you simply can't be reached. 'This has psychological consequences: disconnection becomes a luxury, not a default. And the more ubiquitous connectivity becomes, the less we notice what we've lost moments of true stillness, boredom, reflection — the conditions that often spark creativity, calm, and clarity. 'Of course, few people will boycott free inflight WiFi. Most of us will log on. But perhaps the moment it becomes universally available is also the moment we need to decide, consciously, when to stay offline. 'Just because we can-connect everywhere doesn't mean we always should.' Emma adds that this announcement isn't just about technology. She says: 'It's about attention, expectation, and how we carve out space for solitude in a world that increasingly offers none.' While remote working has many plus points, we know it also blurs the boundaries between work and home, adding a pressure to be available at all times. Future work specialist and executive coach, Harriet Minter, says that WiFi on board planes will likely add to this. She tells Metro: 'For people that work a lot, there's that beautiful point where you step on a plane and realise you're uncontactable. There's that moment where you realise: 'I'm actually on holiday now. I'm taking that space to have a bit of disconnect.'' 'I get why Virgin is doing this, they cater very much to a business crowd, they know that people want that connectivity. 'It's going to be popular, but I feel a bit sad that we're losing that small moment in time when we can be separate from our work.' Harriet also says it reflects a wider 'hustle culture'. More Trending 'This is a culture that we have created that says: and no point do we stop and rest. At no point do we stop and do nothing. 'Actually, that's not very good for us. As humans, we need to have space to rest. 'I wonder if this move from Virgin Atlantic says more our inability to stop — or to be seen to be stopping — than it is about whether or not we need WiFi at all times. 'I for one will not be turning on my WiFi when I'm on a flight. I think it will be a really good lesson for all of us in learning how to switch off.' Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ MORE: I struggled on stage like Lewis Capaldi – I'm in awe of his return MORE: I bought the online poison that killed my son – it was easy MORE: Glastonbury headliner branded 'dreamiest boss' after paying for entire crew to have therapy
Daily Mirror
10-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Huge boost for Brits as major UK airline set to offer free Wi-Fi on all flights
The Starlink constellation of satellites will provide internet to the Virgin fleet of Airbus and Boeing aircraft, the airline's CEO Shai Weiss announced on Tuesday evening Virgin Atlantic has pledged to provide free, streaming-quality Wi-Fi to all passengers on all of its planes by the end of 2027. Elon Musk's Starlink constellation of satellites will provide internet to the Virgin fleet of Airbus and Boeing aircraft, Virgin Atlantic chief executive Shai Weiss announced on Tuesday evening. According to Space Explored, Starlink for aviation is different from the typical ground-based product and uses a specially made antenna that can work at high speeds and remain reliable over long periods. A number of airlines have announced plans to use the service by the end of 2025, including United Airlines, SAS, and Air France. Virgin Atlantic is aiming to be the first UK airline to offer the service, which will be unlimited for every passenger who signs up to the airline's Flying Club loyalty scheme. The airline hopes to have it installed on its fleet of Airbus A330neos, A350s, and Boeing 787s by the end of 2027. Some frequent flyers are bound to welcome the move, given the current high cost and unreliable nature of in-flight Wi-Fi. Others may feel that being disconnected from the internet for a few hours now and again is something to be cherished. CEO Shai Weiss said: 'To fulfil the brief that we've set ourselves, which is to offer free, basically unlimited, streaming-quality connectivity on a plane, right now there's only one solution: it is Starlink. We were the first airline to launch Wi-Fi fleet-wide across the Atlantic, and now we will be the first fleet to complete this transformation.' The rollout of Starlink was not the only major announcement on Tuesday evening. Virgin Atlantic also plans to invest £17 billion in a mixed fleet of 45 next-generation, fuel-efficient aircraft, including 19 A330-900s, 12 A350-1000s, and 14 B787-9s, with an average fleet age of just under seven years by 2028. It will also increase the number of premium seats across its fleet due to high demand. Premium economy seats will increase from 35 to 56, while business class will increase from 31 to 44. Economy seats, meanwhile, will decrease from 192 to 127. 'In the last four decades, we've evolved from a challenger to a leader and a premium, long-haul flag carrier. We exist to make our customers smile—it's that simple—obsessing over finding new ways to delight our guests, delivered by our amazing people, on our journey to become the most loved travel company,' Shai said. 'We are investing billions to fly the youngest fleet across the Atlantic; the first UK airline to have free, streaming-quality, fleet-wide Wi-Fi; more premium cabins; and a full retrofit of the 787 fleet—alongside a new app featuring the world of Virgin Atlantic in your pocket, all delivered by our amazing teams. The best is yet to come.'
