Virgin Atlantic to replace onboard bars with private seats and expand premium capacity

On November 13, 2026, Virgin Atlantic Chief Commercial Officer Juha Jaervinen said the company is replacing social spaces such as onboard bars with more spacious private seats to cater to passenger preferences and generate more revenue from premium cabins. He said that because premium cabin supply is insufficient, the company is expanding Upper Class capacity through retrofits and new aircraft layouts, and plans to invest in the JFK Clubhouse lounge and expand the Retreat Suite product. The report did not disclose a retrofit timetable, the number of aircraft involved, or the investment amount.