Virgin Atlantic is introducing a £55 fee for customers who want to ensure they sit in the most popular Premium Economy seats.
About 30% of seats in each aircraft’s Premium Economy cabin will be designated as Preferred Premium – such as rows towards the front of the plane.
Premium Economy passengers who have already booked a Virgin flight will be allowed to choose Preferred Premium seats for no extra fee, until August 22.
The new fee is selectable on bookings from August 23 and applicable to flights from August 25.
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From August 23, there will still be about 70% of seats in the Premium cabin that can be selected for free once Preferred Seating comes into force.
The change follows the introduction of preferred seating for Economy Light and Economy Classic bookings in March 2021, which Virgin said allowed the airline to provide a consistent customer experience with joint venture partners Delta Air Lines, Air France and KLM.
A Virgin Atlantic spokesperson said: “We want all of our customers to love their experience when they fly with us and recognise that many of them have their favourite place in the cabin.
“The extension of preferred seating to Premium customers provides more choice and control so they can select a location that suits their individual preference in our award-winning cabin.
“That could be to secure seats near the front of the cabin, a duo seat for couples, or simply the peace of mind that they’ll be sat close to their travelling party to sit back, unwind and enjoy the Premium experience together.”
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