VIRGINAtlantic chairman Richard Branson launched a concerted attack on old foe British Airways when he unveiled his airline’s new seating and livery.
He slated BA for playing catch-up with its on-going refurbishment of Club World and World Traveller cabins.
Branson also criticised BA for ditching world images from half its fleet. These aircraft will have the Union Flag symbol instead.
Last Monday, Virgin launched its £37m revamped Upper-Class cabin at a KLM hangar in Amsterdam. It will have double and single-bed seats. The carrier also revealed a £3m new look which uses different corporate branding to highlight its Britishness.
Branson said: “It will be four or five years before BA catches up. It is very easy to announce things, but we will have our new seats on board next year.”
BA’s new cabins will not be refurbished until 2001.
Branson claimed the new Upper Class was better than BA’s First Class – which has had beds for three years – and that plans for Club World would be changed.
Branson was especially critical of BA’s plans to put backward and forward-facing bed seats in Club World and predicted they would go.
“People told us they do not like to fly backwards when we were researching out seats,” he added.
A BA spokesman said it had done extensive passenger research to ensure the seats would be popular.
Virgin is also refurbishing Premium Economy and Economy cabins.