Aviation

Virgin Atlantic’s new planes to have Love Suite & Solo Suite

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Virgin Atlantic announced on Monday that the new Airbus A330-200s joining their fleet will feature three distinct suites in the upper class cabin.

Travelers flying on these planes — with names inspired by the aircraft’s registration and the airline’s signature sense of humor, such as Strawberry Fields, Honky Tonk Woman, Scarlett O’Hara, and Daydream Believer — will be able to choose from the carrier’s new Love Suite, Solo Freedom Suite, and Solo Corner Suite.

“The Upper Class cabin introduces three new styles of seating … as well as extra touches such as a barista-style coffee menu and free Wi-Fi messaging,” Phil Maher, the airline’s executive vice president of operations, said in a statement.

All 19 of the upper class seats transform into lie-flat beds and offer direct aisle access. Passengers in this class will also receive a chic amenity kit with Happy Socks.

The Freedom and Corner Suites are best suited for solo travelers, and the latter is extra private and offers a particularly good view. (There are only three available on each plane.)

The Love Suite, on the other hand, is designed with couples or groups in mind. These seats are located in the center of the upper class cabin, and are perfect for dining or watching movies with your travel partner. There are three Love Suites per plane, accommodating six passengers total.

Virgin Atlantic’s new A330s will take to the skies in March, and will initially service flights from Manchester, England to New York City, Boston, San Francisco, and Barbados.

Aviation

No More Jet Airways. Supreme Court Says “No Choice”, Orders Liquidation

Jet Airways was once one of India’s leading airlines, known for its service and extensive network. Founded in 1993, it served millions of passengers, connecting cities across India and international destinations.

However, since grounding its flights in April 2019, Jet Airways has struggled to navigate financial turbulence, leading to years of efforts to revive the airline and return it to the skies.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court ordered the liquidation of Jet Airways, citing “no choice” but to take this decisive step after the resolution plan failed to meet creditor obligations. The court invoked its extraordinary powers under Article 142, which allows it to make orders for “complete justice” in any case, overriding previous tribunal rulings.

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The Jalan-Kalrock Consortium (JKC), which had won the bid to revive Jet, faced criticism for not fulfilling payment commitments to creditors, which included major banks like the State Bank of India and Punjab National Bank.

The Supreme Court’s ruling pointed to “peculiar and alarming” issues surrounding the resolution plan’s implementation, leading to its conclusion that liquidation was the only feasible outcome.

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Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, alongside Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, emphasized that while liquidation should be a last resort, it was necessary as the resolution plan was “no longer capable of implementation.”

In line with this decision, the court ordered that the ₹200 crore already infused by JKC be forfeited and directed the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) in Mumbai to appoint a liquidator to oversee the process.

JKC, a partnership between Murari Jalan, a UAE-based Indian entrepreneur, and Florian Fritsch, a Jet shareholder through Kalrock Capital Partners Limited, had taken ownership of Jet Airways two years after it was grounded. The consortium’s inability to fulfill its financial obligations has now led to this final verdict, marking the end of an era for Jet Airways in India.