Having changed the perception of business class travel with the introduction of its Upper Class service, which provided ‘first class experience at a business class price’, Virgin Atlantic soon caught the target market’s imagination. As competitors responded with similar products, Virgin Atlantic then followed up with the introduction of the Upper Class Suite in 2003. This multi award winning concept introduced a flip over chair providing a completely flat bed and a wider seat than any alternative airline. In addition, it also included an in-flight cocktail bar, on-board massage as well as personal limo services for customers.
Moving on from on-board innovation, in 2006 Virgin Atlantic opened its new £11m Heathrow Clubhouse that fundamentally changed the perception of what a lounge could be. More like a cross between and night club and a private club, it contains a myriad of features ranging from a long bar, a deli, a brasserie, a poolside lounge, a library and a rooftop garden through to a Cowshed branded spa which houses four massage bays, a sauna, six steam-shower rooms, sun-tan booths and, for those fancying a quick dip before flying, a hydro-pool! While this is all very attractive at a functional level, from a design perspective the implementation is exemplary.
And of course all this is ‘free’ to Upper Class customers. It might seem like a lot of marketing showmanship, but there is solid business logic behind it all. Press coverage, multiple industry awards and word of mouth migration of customers to Upper Class, either from rival airlines or upgrading from economy, has been substantial. Most recently the company upgraded its Premium Economy seats and added to the Upper Class experience with a 10 minute check-in from limo to lounge which, at Heathrow, is almost a miracle.
The key to all this has been a world leading design team that focuses equally on product innovation and service innovation. Charged with profitably redefining the consumer experience, this team is well known for changing the rules and giving customers new innovations and experiences that most of them would never think of. Virgin Atlantic is the true sustained innovation leader of this sector. The company is determined to continue to grow by continuing to deliver incessant high-impact innovation and, despite increasing competition from a select few Asian and Gulf-based operators, Virgin Atlantic is showing no sign of handing over its leadership position any time soon.
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