First on-board shots: Virgin Australia's new Business and Economy class

Much of the new Virgin Australia "New Virgin" focus has been on the revamped airline's Airbus A330 planes, which it picked up second-hand from Emirates.

But the A330 wasn't the only plane landing at Sydney -- in fact, the airline's newest Boeing 737-800 (and Australia's first) landed just before the A330.

Australian Business Traveller got on board this morning and can bring you the first shots of the brand new Virgin Australia 737 cabin. For more on the "New Blue", check out our full coverage via the links at the bottom of this story.

Up at the front is the all-new business class, with two of the wide leather recliner seats on either side of the aisle.

For business travellers, that's a huge improvement on the previous Virgin Blue/Pacific Blue/Polynesian Blue offering of Premium Economy, which was an economy seat with a little more legroom and the middle seat blocked off.

There's some classy "Virgin" embossing on the leather too. Even more impressive is the new business class food offering from celebrity chef Luke Mangan (shown here on the A330):

In this shot from proud aircraft-maker parent Boeing, the fullsize pillows and extra-wide central armrest with useful drinks table are shown to full effect:

You can also see the extra-wide Boeing Sky Interior window surrounds, which lend the cabin a brighter, more spacious air.

The Sky Interior also means larger, swivel-type luggage bins like those seen on more modern long-haul planes (including the Boeing 777-300ERs used by the airline formerly known as V Australia).

The LED coloured mood lighting of the Sky Interior also lends a certain cachet of class to the new 737s.

In the back of the plane, the economy class seats have received an upgrade too, with dark grey leather seats and bright purple, red and silver headrests. They're laid out in the usual 737 configuration of three seats either side of the single aisle.

This is just part of Australian Business Traveller's comprehensive coverage of Virgin Australia's launch day:

• Touchdown! Virgin Australia's first landings at Sydney Airport
• New Airbus A330 and Boeing 737 planes, plus what the new offerings mean for business travellers  
• Full analysis of the decision to rebrand all the Virgin Blue group airlines (including V Australia, Pacific Blue and Polynesian Blue) as Virgin Australia 
• Our interview with Richard Branson about business travel
• Punchy, fresh new ads for Virgin Australia, plus interviews with uniform designer Julie Grbac, inflight chef Luke Mangan and brand guru Hans Hulbosch
• The very first on-board photos from Virgin Australia's new Boeing 737-800 in Business and Economy
• Insider photos from the launch day with Richard Branson and John Borghetti
• An exclusive photo-tour exclusive photo-tour through the new 737-800

For the very latest, check back at www.ausbt.com.au or follow us on Twitter: @AusBT.

John Walton

Aviation journalist and travel columnist John took his first long-haul flight when he was eight weeks old and hasn't looked back since. Well, except when facing rearwards in business class.