Wirraway
15th Oct 2004, 16:14
Sat "Weekend Australian"
Size matters, says new Virgin arrival
Steve Creedy, Aviation writer
October 16, 2004
VIRGIN Atlantic will launch a $1 million advertising campaign next month to introduce its Upper Class suite to business travellers as it moves to take on Qantas, British Airways and Cathay Pacific on the Hong Kong-Sydney route.
The campaign will seek to establish Atlantic's credentials as a premium carrier and clear up any confusion in travellers' minds between the international operator and its low-cost sister airline, Virgin Blue. It will centre on the award-winning Upper Class suite, touted by Virgin as "first class at business class prices".
The seat, introduced to travel trade representatives at a Sydney function this week, converts to a fully flat bed with a mattress and is currently the biggest of its type.
The suite also boasts an ottoman seat that allows passengers to entertain, conduct business meetings or dine with guests.
"It is vastly superior to the business class offerings of our competitors on the Sydney to Hong Kong route," said Virgin Atlantic sales and marketing manager Australia and New Zealand Gia Acitelli.
"Size does matter to business travellers and, simply put, ours is bigger than theirs."
Virgin Atlantic will start a daily service to Sydney on December 8 using 306-seat Airbus A340-600 aircraft with 45 Upper Class seats, 28 premium economy seats and 233 economy seats. It will pit its Upper Class suite against a somewhat dated BA business class, a significantly improved Qantas product and a well-regarded Cathay offering.
Features offered by Virgin include an in-flight entertainment system offering 50 movies and 300 hours of video, an in-flight bar and in-seat massages and beauty treatments.
Virgin also chauffeurs its business class customers to and from the airport.
Ms Acitelli said the airline would offer fares in line with those of Qantas and BA into London, and in line with those of Cathay into Hong Kong. She said the airline would target business travellers in all three cities on the route and viewed the BA-Qantas alliance as its biggest competitor.
Meanwhile, Emirates will double its capacity to Perth from October next year when it introduces two daily flights to Dubai using A340-500 aircraft.
Also yesterday, Jetstar announced it would start flying to Cairns from Melbourne and Sydney in January, increasing Qantas Group capacity into the town by 350 seats per week.
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Size matters, says new Virgin arrival
Steve Creedy, Aviation writer
October 16, 2004
VIRGIN Atlantic will launch a $1 million advertising campaign next month to introduce its Upper Class suite to business travellers as it moves to take on Qantas, British Airways and Cathay Pacific on the Hong Kong-Sydney route.
The campaign will seek to establish Atlantic's credentials as a premium carrier and clear up any confusion in travellers' minds between the international operator and its low-cost sister airline, Virgin Blue. It will centre on the award-winning Upper Class suite, touted by Virgin as "first class at business class prices".
The seat, introduced to travel trade representatives at a Sydney function this week, converts to a fully flat bed with a mattress and is currently the biggest of its type.
The suite also boasts an ottoman seat that allows passengers to entertain, conduct business meetings or dine with guests.
"It is vastly superior to the business class offerings of our competitors on the Sydney to Hong Kong route," said Virgin Atlantic sales and marketing manager Australia and New Zealand Gia Acitelli.
"Size does matter to business travellers and, simply put, ours is bigger than theirs."
Virgin Atlantic will start a daily service to Sydney on December 8 using 306-seat Airbus A340-600 aircraft with 45 Upper Class seats, 28 premium economy seats and 233 economy seats. It will pit its Upper Class suite against a somewhat dated BA business class, a significantly improved Qantas product and a well-regarded Cathay offering.
Features offered by Virgin include an in-flight entertainment system offering 50 movies and 300 hours of video, an in-flight bar and in-seat massages and beauty treatments.
Virgin also chauffeurs its business class customers to and from the airport.
Ms Acitelli said the airline would offer fares in line with those of Qantas and BA into London, and in line with those of Cathay into Hong Kong. She said the airline would target business travellers in all three cities on the route and viewed the BA-Qantas alliance as its biggest competitor.
Meanwhile, Emirates will double its capacity to Perth from October next year when it introduces two daily flights to Dubai using A340-500 aircraft.
Also yesterday, Jetstar announced it would start flying to Cairns from Melbourne and Sydney in January, increasing Qantas Group capacity into the town by 350 seats per week.
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