Fly up a class
No expense has been spared in the redesign of Virgin Atlantic's Upper Class Cabin – a £100 million ($159 million) upgrade that was recently unveiled. Among the new features are the longest bar in the sky (2.5 metres) with space for eight people, Swarovski crystal curtains and new cabin mood lighting to create eight separate atmospheres during the flight.
Prospective passengers can take a tour of the cabin thanks to a new virtual showroom called PlaneView, which links to more than 40 interactive YouTube videos that allow users to explore even the smallest details of the aircraft in a three dimensional environment. The Upper Class Cabin also features the new Upper Class Suite, which the airline said offers a more luxurious and comfortable sleep than ever, with its 221cm bed surface.
In other news, China Eastern Airlines has introduced a new Airbus 330-200 between Shanghai and London, Paris, Frankfurt and Hamburg, with the aircraft to be launched in Australia soon. It will replace the Airbus 330-300 on the Sydney to Shanghai route and the Boeing 767 on the Melbourne to Shanghai route.
Meanwhile, Vietnam Airlines, which operates daily flights from both Sydney and Melbourne to Ho Chi Minh City, has a seat sale that will run until September 30, for low season departures until March 27, 2013. Clients can fly to Vietnam from $600 in economy class and $2500 in business class, to China from $200 in economy and $2500 in business, or to Europe from $700 in economy and $3000 in business class.
And with social networking as popular as ever, Emirates has officially launched its Facebook page. The site allows fans to interact with the brand through exclusive Facebook content on the timeline feature, apply for jobs through the careers app or find out more about sponsorships through its sports and culture tab.
Finally, Etihad Airways this month premiered its new television commercial and supporting digital media campaign to a global audience. Titled Why, the commercial and campaign focuses on why more than 40 million people have chosen to fly with Etihad Airways during its eight years of operation.
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