Richard Branson rebrands business class with Love Seats, Corner Suites

Richard Branson is nothing if not a brilliant marketer, so how does his Virgin Atlantic find make some rather stodgy business class seats sound, well, sexy?

That was the challenge faced by the Branson-backed airline when it picked up the lease on five Airbus A330s from failed German carrier Airberlin.

Those jets will join the Virgin Atlantic fleet from March 2018 on flights to New York, San Francisco, Boston and Barbados – but while they're getting updated with Virgin livery on the outside, travellers stepping onto the pre-loved jets will see the old Airberlin seats (below) instead of Virgin's bespoke Upper Class benches.

Except that they've been rebranded from same-same business class seats to a trio of 'suites'.

Virgin Atlantic has embraced the staggered 1-2-1 layout of the business class cabin – the same floorplan as used by many other airlines, most notably on Qantas' Airbus A330s and Boeing 787s – and declared the paired middle seats as Love Suites "ideal for dual-dining, watching movies together or even catching up on work."

The seats located next to at the aisle – in both the middle rows and by the window – have been christened Solo Freedom Seats, where travellers can “unwind and stretch out in this suite just for you with easy aisle access."

The remaining handful of seats which are directly at the window – with the console shelf between the seat and the aisle – are described as Solo Corner Suites, because they offer "a little extra privacy with a great view."

The seats themselves may lack Virgin's trademark glam, but their business class rebranding seems to fit like a glove.

David Flynn

David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.