Virgin Atlantic is lining up a number of new products and tools for corporates ahead of an anticipated surge in business travel activity this autumn, though details remain under wraps for now.
Launching “imminently” is a SAF (sustainable aviation fuel) purchase programme for business customers, while the airline is “actively looking at” a management portal for corporates that it will be “talking more about in September”.
The airline will also be introducing an “evolution” of its Upper Class product – together with updated premium and economy seating and new social spaces – on new A330-900neo aircraft this winter.
The new product is understood to be an upgrade on the latest iteration of its Upper Class product onboard its A350 aircraft currently in service.
Virgin has 14 A330-900neos on order – and an option for a further six – the first of which is expected to be delivered in Q4 this year.
The airline will showcase the new onboard products to customers at an event in mid-July, according to the airline’s vice president of global sales, Lee Haslett.
Speaking to BTN Europe onboard its new service to Austin, Texas, Haslett said corporate travel recovery for the airline had so far exceeded expectations, with attention now turning to the key business travel period of autumn.
“We’re delighted with where we find ourselves right now ahead of forecast. The week before Easter we hit 96 per cent [of corporate traffic] compared to the same week in 2019,” said Haslett. “From a commercial performance perspective, we’re doing really well.”
He continued: “We saw a surge in March and April which continued in May. What will be interesting is what the summer brings and then, moving into Q4, we’ll have a back-to-business campaign in September and we really think that’s going to be a big bounce.”
However, Haslett also said the airline is “not immune to various industry challenges”.
“We’re anticipating an impact on some discretionary and leisure travel [due to the rising cost of living] but we’re not seeing the recruitment challenges that others are. We’re a strong brand; people want to work for us.”
The airline’s CEO Shai Weiss told The Telegraph last weekend that it received more than 5,000 job applications for 400 roles.
Haslett also said the airline had hedged fuel prices for the year and was expecting to be “back in the black” in 2023, but he reiterated recent criticism of rising costs at its London Heathrow hub.
The airline rounded on Heathrow in May for downplaying future demand in a bid to justify the raising of passenger fees. Last December the CAA allowed Heathrow to implement a temporary hike in fees of more than 50 per cent, but Heathrow wants to double fees.
“That would have a real impact on how competitive London is as a hub compared to other European cities, and we hope the CAA will do its job and act independently to look at this,” said Haslett.
The airline will offer more seats from Heathrow this July than it did in 2019 with only its Hong Kong and Shanghai services yet to resume.