Virgin Atlantic shakes up fare types
Virgin Atlantic is to offer cheaper, hand luggage only ‘Light’ economy fares from this spring as part of an overhaul of its economy product.
It will also offer Delight economy fares, which offer three inches more legroom, premium check-in and priority boarding, and a Classic economy fare, which is similar to its current economy but with free seat selection.
Announcing the changes, CEO Craig Kreeger said all three fare types would receive the same onboard service, including a meal and access to Virgin’s inflight entertainment system and onboard wifi.
He described the new hand luggage-only fares as a ‘cheap entry point product for millennials’.
However, he said Virgin did not intend to follow the low-cost airlines in scaling back its onboard service
"What we have done with these low fares is remove the barrier to flying with Virgin. Now, noone has a reason not to fly with us."
Chief commercial officer Shai Weiss said the new fares, which are not yet on sale, were expected to attract ‘hundreds of thousands more customers’.
"We have always been competitive with the low-fares airlines, now we will be even more competitive, but customers will continue to receive the same fantastic Virgin onboard service."
Light fares, which will be non-refundable, will allow passengers to take one bag plus a handbag into the cabin, but they won’t get a check-in baggage allowance. Once onboard, they will receive the same service as Classic passengers.
Virgin’s new Classic fare is similar to its existing economy, but with advanced seat assignment.
"Customers told us they want the reassurance of knowing they would be seated with their families or the rest of their group but they didn’t think it was fair they had to pay extra for that and we agree," added Weiss.
In addition, Virgin will have 24 to 36 ‘Delight’ seats on every plane, providing a 34-inch seat pitch. These are already on many of its aircraft and sold as an upgrade, either online or at airports, but in future they will be available to pre-book.
Last week, British Airways and American Airlines announced new ‘Basic’ fares on transatlantic routes.
Virgin’s new fares will be on all of its routes, not just tranatlantic, and according to Kreeger the changes were decided upon, and shared with selected partners, before BA and AA announced their plans.
Virgin’s existing Premium Economy class will remain, but it will be renamed Premium.
Fares for the new categories have not yet been released and the launch date has not been confirmed, but Kreeger confirmed all fare types would be available through all Virgin’s distribution channels.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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