How Virgin Atlantic is Using AI in Collaboration with OpenAI
Virgin Atlantic, the UK long-haul airline, has announced a partnership with OpenAI to integrate voice-activated AI concierge services into its mobile application.
The collaboration makes Virgin Atlantic the first European airline to implement OpenAI’s real-time voice technology, part of a broader digital programme that includes fleet-wide Starlink connectivity and expanded premium cabin offerings.
The AI concierge service, developed in partnership with OpenAI and Tomoro.ai, a conversational AI platform, will provide passengers with hands-free assistance through voice interaction.
How the voice technology works
The technology utilises OpenAI’s Realtime API, which enables natural language processing (NLP) and response generation in real-time conversations.
Passengers will access the service through Virgin Atlantic’s mobile application, receiving personalised assistance with travel planning, airport navigation and general enquiries in multiple languages.
The voice system is a significant change in airline customer service, as it is a move from basic chatbots to more natural interfaces that understand spoken questions and provide quick answers.
Virgin Atlantic introducing Starlink connectivity across fleet
Virgin Atlantic will implement Starlink satellite internet technology across its entire fleet by the end of 2027, becoming the first UK airline to offer free, unlimited Wi-Fi with streaming-quality speeds.
Starlink, operated by SpaceX, provides internet connectivity through a constellation of low Earth orbit satellites that deliver higher speeds and lower latency compared to traditional satellite internet systems.
The installation programme will begin in the third quarter of 2026, covering Virgin Atlantic’s fleet of Airbus A330neo, A350-1000 and Boeing 787-9 aircraft.
The service will then be available to all passengers who register for the airline’s Flying Club loyalty programme, providing connectivity that matches ground-based broadband speeds.
Traditional airline Wi-Fi systems rely on geostationary satellites positioned approximately 35,000 kilometres above Earth, resulting in slower speeds and higher latency.
What makes Starlink unique is its low Earth orbit satellites operate at altitudes between 340 and 1,200 kilometres, reducing signal travel time and enabling streaming video and real-time applications.
The connectivity upgrade also supports Virgin Atlantic’s broader digital strategy, which includes a redesigned mobile application launching in December 2025.
The app will integrate airline and holiday booking services, providing passengers with journey notifications and personalised travel recommendations through native iOS and Android features.
AI integration reflecting the aviation industry’s transformation
The partnership with OpenAI is Virgin Atlantic’s entry into AI-powered customer service, following similar initiatives by other travel companies.
The voice AI technology processes natural language queries and provides contextual responses, learning from passenger interactions to improve service delivery.
Matt Weaver, EMEA Head of Solutions Engineering at OpenAI, says that customer expectations have changed since ChatGPT’s launch: “Since the launch of ChatGPT, we’ve seen a fundamental shift in what customers expect from digital experiences, with the expectation for faster, more natural and more personalised support.
“Virgin Atlantic’s new digital concierge shows how brands can deliver that, using advanced voice models not just to provide information, but to do so in a way that feels distinctly human and unmistakably Virgin Atlantic.”
Virgin Atlantic has also announced a partnership with Joby, an electric air taxi developer, to provide short-haul transport connections between airports and city centres across the UK.
The service, expected to launch before 2030 pending regulatory approval, will use electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft to reduce journey times for connecting passengers.
Shai Weiss, CEO of Virgin Atlantic, positions the investments as part of the airline’s evolution from a challenger brand to a premium carrier.
He says: “In the last four decades, we’ve evolved from a challenger to a leader and a premium, long-haul flag carrier.”
Siobhan Fitzpatrick, Chief Experience Officer at Virgin Atlantic, concludes: “Our announcements today provide a snapshot into the future of how we care, serve and delight every single one of our guests.
“Every new product, partnership and platform unveiled has been shaped by guest insight and fuelled by our people’s ingenuity.”
