Virgin Atlantic Introduces Business Class Pajamas.. “The Onesie”

by Gary Leff

Pajamas are usually only offered to international first class passengers. I have countless pairs, worn and unworn, the new ones I usually give away at Frequent Traveler University events.

I love the old Cathay Pacific Shanghai Tang pajamas, they’re my favorite overall for combining comfort and attractive style. Their new PJs are fine, possible even more comfortable though a bit less attractive.

Surprisingly enough I love American Airlines’ grey pin stripe pajamas, they wash well. They’re the ones I’ve brought with me most often on overnight flights where I wouldn’t receive a new pair (I’ve worn them for instance in Air France business class in American business class).

Korean Air’s pajamas remind me of an outfit out of North Korea.

    Korean Air First Class Pajamas

Yesterday Lucky mentioned EVA Airways introducing pajamas — and they do not have a first class cabin. Star Alliance member EVA, though, offers one of the world’s best business class product – a seat similar to Cathay Pacific business on their 777-300ER, some pre-order meal options, and Dom Perignon chanpagne.

They’re not the only airline doing business class pajamas, of course.

Mid-month Virgin Atlantic will begin trialing pajamas on some routes and in particular the first airline onesie.

Of course, no Virgin Atlantic promotion is complete without Richard Branson, so (and I’m giving you fair warning, you may want to stop looking now… in fairness, I should have warned you before showing you me in pajamas but I figure now I at least owe you one..)

    Virgin's Richard Branson Wearing a Onesie

I find that changing into really comfortable clothing for a long flight makes a difference in my ability to sleep. And that the act of ‘changing’ puts me in a mindframe to sleep, and changing back into my clothes prepares me to re-enter the world at the other end of the flight (plus I do not make such a mess and wrinkling of the clothes, either). So I do value pajamas, whether airline-provided or bringing my own from a previous flight.

What say you … how do you get comfortable on a long haul flight?

About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

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Comments

  1. @ Gary — After suffering through numerous hot flights on Asian and Middle Eastern carriers, it finally dawned on me that I should wear shorts and a t-shirt. I just like the PJs to take home!

    Hopefully, no one is offended by my sleeping outfit, but I wore it to the VA business class bar in both directions last week, and no one complained! (I guess ’cause I look so damn good in my shorts? Ha!).

  2. Qantas does pajamas in all “overnight” flights in business class. The flight attendants even come around and put a mattress pad on ever seat.

  3. I’m confused…VS has offered PJs in UpperClass for as long as I can remember, and I’ve flown Upper several times going back to 1998. Granted, the PJs have never been a onesie, they’ve always been two-piece. In the late 90’s / early 00’s, it was a purple top w/gray sleeves. Then starting in the late 00’s, it was an all-black PJ set.

  5. The best pajamas are LH van Laacks tops and the Cathay Shanghai Tang bottoms.
    I take my old LH ones with a collar everywhere even when they give me a new set as on EY

  9. Indeed VS has offered pajamas, or “sleep suits” as they call the, in upper class for some time now. I received a set on an LAX-LHR flight in March. Definitely a nice offering to have in J and really classes up an already nice onboard sleeping experience.

  10. I never liked the Shanghai Tang PJ’s, the Chinese buttons may be a novelty to some westerners, but it’s not really practical. They shrink and wrinkle too easily. I actually love the new CX F PJ’s.

  11. i second the comment about the Chinese buttons on the Shanghai Tang PJs not being practical. I often sleep on my stomach but couldn’t because of those huge, uncomfortable buttons.

  12. You’d think if they are introducing “new” onesie PJ’s that they would photograph it in their “new” Upper Class and not the old one?

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