Airbus has promised clearer legroom, bigger overhead storage bins and onboard wireless in its forthcoming A330neo.
In addition, redesigned galley and lavatory areas will allow airlines to increase seat pitch from standard A330 cabins or fit 10 extra seats.
The changes are part of the manufacturer’s new cabin brand “Airspace by Airbus”.
In the A330neo, with which the brand will be launched, this also includes fourth-generation, high-definition IFE throughout the aircraft and underseat electronic boxes which eliminate legroom obstructions.
More main-deck space will be freed up for passengers by the relocation of the crew rest area to the lower deck, while overhead lockers will be two-thirds larger.
Other changes from current-generation A330s include: an intranet portal with streaming capability; ambient LED lighting and grip rails; customisable entrance areas; redesigned magazine racks, ventilation grilles and window bezels; and upgraded lavatory interiors.
Flightglobal

Airbus has launched its new Cabin brand “Airspace by Airbus”. At the heart of this new philosophy Airbus connects the wellbeing for passengers with the operational performance for its airline customers. Representing the best of Airbus’ cabin innovation and design, Airspace will offer a sophisticated, flexible canvas as a back-drop to enhance the airlines’ own brands. Airbus also launches the new cabin for the forthcoming A330neo airliner, which embodies Airspace by Airbus and is inspired by the cabin of its Widebody sibling, the new A350 XWB in service.
Dr. Kiran Rao, Airbus’ Executive Vice President of Strategy and Marketing commented: “Airbus’ history of success is down to innovation – which has always included the cabin as a key driver. With the great passenger feedback on the A350 XWB, and our application of A350 cabin technology and features to the A330neo, we are proud to embrace our cabin design principles through our new brand – Airspace by Airbus.”
He adds: “The new A330neo is the launch vehicle for this brand, which along with the A350 XWB begins a new family of Airbus cabins. These will inspire and empower airlines to build the next generation of personalized flying experience for their passengers, while and at the same time optimizing the economic performance of their aircraft space.”
Encompassing four key dimensions: Comfort, Ambience, Service and Design*, Airspace cabins will be more relaxing, inspiring, beautiful and functional, they will stimulate a unique and leading passenger experience. For example, passengers will appreciate the larger overhead storage bins, spacious and contemporary lavatories, wider seats & aisles, and unobstructed under-seat foot space. In addition, signature design elements will be consistently recognizable throughout all Airspace cabins – examples include the latest LED technology ambient lighting, clean, straight lines and shapes, clear surfaces, and also a unique, customizable welcome area. Altogether, these aspects result in an aesthetically-pleasing design combined with not just a ‘feeling’ of space, but real space – which is fulfilled in the brand new cabin for the A330neo.
Airbus produces the world’s most modern and comprehensive family of airliners and continually invests in new innovations. These aircraft range in capacity from 100 to more than 600 seats and over 16,300 of which have been sold to more than 380 customers worldwide. Airbus has design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain, as well as subsidiaries in the US, China, Japan, India and in the Middle East.
Airbus

Virgin America Inc., the airline backed by U.K. billionaire Richard Branson, is reaching out to potential buyers about a sale of part or all of the company, people with knowledge of the matter said.
The carrier, which flies to destinations throughout the U.S. and Mexico, is working with a financial adviser after receiving takeover interest, the people said, asking not to be identified as the matter is private. No decision has been made, and Virgin America may choose not to pursue a sale, they said.
Shares in Virgin America rose 13 percent at the close in New York to $34.72, valuing the company at about $1.5 billion. Rival airline stocks also rose: JetBlue Airways Corp. and Hawaiian Holdings Inc. both reversed losses to close up, while Spirit Airlines Inc. and Alaska Air Group Inc. pared declines.
Virgin America, based in Burlingame, California, sold stock in a $353 million initial public offering less than 18 months ago, pricing its shares at $23 apiece, data compiled by Bloomberg show.
Rival Carriers
Carriers including JetBlue and Delta Air Lines Inc. may be interested in owning Virgin America, according to comments by analysts and consultants on Wednesday. Outside of the airline industry, buyout firms and travel companies could also make bids.
“A potential buyer, in our view, could be JetBlue, with similar fleet types, overlapping transcontinental services, similar high-quality product offerings and complimentary networks,” Michael Derchin, an analyst at Sterne Agee CRT, said in a report Wednesday.
For Delta, an acquisition would strengthen its presence on the U.S. west coast and eliminate a competitor in the valuable transcontinental market, according to Bob Mann, president of aviation consultant R.W. Mann & Co., who spoke in a telephone interview. A takeover would also ensure a continued presence at Dallas’s Love Field airport for Delta, Mann said.
Jamie Baker, a JPMorgan Chase & Co. analyst, said it might not even be another airline that bids for Virgin America, because of an unfavorable regulatory environment and Virgin’s lack of owned aircraft or dominant take-off and landing slots at regulated airports.
“We would characterize the current regulatory environment as hostile towards further U.S. industry consolidation,” Baker said in a note Wednesday, adding that private equity firms or travel-related companies may be more likely to be interested.
A representative for Virgin America said the company doesn’t comment on speculation concerning mergers or acquisitions. Representatives for Delta and JetBlue also declined to comment.
Growing Capacity
Virgin America last month reported 2015 adjusted net income of $201.5 million, the most in the company’s history. The airline received five new Airbus A320 aircraft last year, with plans for five more this year, after slowing growth in 2012 to focus on long-term survival. It expects to grow capacity by 10 percent a year in 2017 and 2018.
Branson is the founder of the Virgin Group, which also owns stakes in gyms, hotels and telecommunications companies around the world. Virgin America started flying from San Francisco in 2007.
“The American airline system, 10 years ago, didn’t have a decent airline, so I thought let’s launch Virgin America,” Branson said in an interview with Cory Johnson on Bloomberg TV last week.
“We attract both leisure people and tech people who want to be flown in a slightly more hip airline than our competitors,” he said, speaking from one of the company’s airplanes as he helped launch a new route from San Francisco to Denver.
Bloomberg Business