Virgin Atlantic accepts first Airbus A350 into its fleet

Red Velvet will feature Virgins new on-board bar, The Loft

Virgin Atlantic (VS/VIR) has officially taken delivery of its first Airbus A350-1000XWB at the Airbus factory in Toulouse, France.

The aircraft, G-VLUX “Red Velvet”, is the first of 12 Airbus A350XWB aircraft for the long-haul airline.

Virgin’s Airbus A350-1000XWB is expected to begin a crew training programme with the airline ahead of its entry into service.

It is set to fly to begin its first regular routing between London Heathrow (LHR/EGKK) and New York (JFK/LJFK) on the 10th September.

The Loft, a place to mingle onboard the A350-1000XWB (Image: Virgin Atlantic)
The Loft, a place to mingle onboard the A350-1000XWB (Image: Virgin Atlantic)

The A350-1000XWB is the first Virgin Atlantic aircraft to feature “The Loft”, a new brand new onboard bar area where passengers can relax and mingle with friends or other passengers.

The aircraft is configured with 335 seats across 3 cabins – “Upper Class” Business seats, Premium Economy and Economy.

Virgin has also revamped its “Upper Class” cabin to ensure all seats have a window view and face forward.

The wings for Virgin Atlantic's first Airbus A350XWB are made in Broughton, North Wales
The wings for Virgin Atlantic’s first Airbus A350XWB G-VLUX are made in Broughton, North Wales

Flying the flag for Great Britain, The Airbus A350-1000XWB flies on wings made in Broughton, North Wales and is powered by Derby-made Rolls Royce Trent XWB engines.

Virgin rival British Airways took delivery of its first A350 last week.

About Nick Harding 2035 Articles
Nick is the senior reporter and editor at UK Aviation News as well as working freelance elsewhere. He has his finger firmly on the pulse on Aviation, not only in the UK but worldwide. Nick has been asked to speak in a professional capacity on LBC, Heart and other broadcast networks.