A Plane Called Mamma Mia: Say Hello to Virgin’s New A350
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Find out which card can help you book your dream trip with rewards. Plus, get a free Lonely Planet eBook to explore inspiring travel experiences.After spending eight days in Hangar C33, Virgin Atlantic's brand new A350 has finally rolled out of Airbus' paint shop in Toulouse, France.
The A350-1000 is the first of 12 A350s to join Virgin's fleet. It is painted in the airline's classic livery, featuring Virgin's iconic script and red and white color scheme. As with the rest of the airline's fleet, the plane carries a unique name: Mamma Mia. Its tail code, G-VPOP, is also in keeping with Virgin's tradition of giving its aircraft cheeky or music-themed registrations.
An enlargement of the airplane's nose reveals the placement of the name, under the flight deck windows, which feature the A350's typical "raccoon mask."
Noticeably missing from the nose is the airline's famous Flying Lady Icon. Once it arrives in London, 'Zadie,' one of the five new Flying Icons, will be applied. The concept for Virgin's original Flying Lady came from ship figureheads, with inspiration drawn from pin-up girls made famous by painter Alberto Vargas. The new faces, men and women, are meant to represent the diversity of modern Britain.
Aside from the new Flying Icons, the A350s will also be the first plane to feature Virgin's swanky new Upper Class suites, which should be a big step up from the airline's current product. Additionally, instead of an onboard bar, the new Upper Class cabin will feature a Loft space with couches and a small self-serve area. Although not that different from the existing product, Premium Economy and Economy will feature new seats as well.
Virgin has yet to confirm a specific date, but the plane is expected to enter service sometime in "late summer 2019." The plane will first operate on Virgin's flagship route between London (LHR) and New York (JFK) and then expand to LHR to Atlanta (ATL). The A350-1000, the biggest twinjet made by Airbus, will take the place in Virgin's fleet of the A340-600, an airplane whose business class we found cramped when we reviewed it in 2016.
All photos courtesy of Virgin Atlantic unless otherwise noted.
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- Automatic Silver elite status with a pathway to Gold
Cons
- There are better Marriott cards if you want higher tier status or no annual fee
- Earn 125,000 Bonus Points + 1 Free Night Award after qualifying purchases.
- Earn 3X points per $1 on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases annually on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining.
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- 1 Free Night Award (valued up to 35,000 points) every year after account anniversary.
- Earn up to 17X total points per $1 spent at thousands of hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Card.
- Receive 15 Elite Night Credits annually, automatic Silver Elite status, and path to Gold Status when you spend $35,000 on purchases each calendar year.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Your points don't expire as long as you make purchases on your card every 24 months.
- Member FDIC