Virgin Atlantic reveals first plane without pin-up girl design

Sir Richard Branson's new fleet of Airbus A350s will display a diverse range of men and women "representing modern Britain".

By Tania Snuggs, news reporter,

Image: 'Red Velvet' will make its first flight next month

Virgin Atlantic has unveiled its first aircraft featuring a new "flying icon" after it stopped using pin-up girls, something it had been doing for 35 years.
It announced in April that it would no longer feature traditional Varga Girl images, inspired by pictures made famous by Peruvian artist Alberto Vargas in the 1930s and 1940s.

Instead, Sir Richard Branson's company said it would display a diverse range of men and women "representing modern Britain".

Image: The new plane features a black woman in red shorts and white blouse

The first of its 12 new Airbus A350 aircraft has been named Red Velvet and has a black woman wearing a ruffled cropped white blouse and red shorts on the front.
Images on other new planes will include a black man and a gay man, with the carrier saying it will be the first in the world to have male figureheads on its aircrafts.

Advertisement

Image: The new designs include a gay man and were first revealed in April. Pics: Virgin Atlantic

Female cabin crew were also told earlier this year that they no longer had to wear make-up - and it started providing them with trousers as part of their standard uniform, rather than only if requested.

The airline has also promised to tackle its gender pay gap and increase diversity and inclusion.

Image: Virgin Atlantic featured pin-up girls on its planes for 35 years

Image: Sir Richard Branson and burlesque artist Dita Von Teese in 2010

It is aiming to have a 50/50 gender split in leadership roles, as well as 12% black, Asian and minority ethnic group representation across the company by 2022.
Virgin's Red Velvet plane will take its inaugural flight - to New York - in September.