Summary
- Virgin Atlantic has ordered seven Airbus A330neo aircraft, taking its commitments for the A330-900 to 19 in total.
- The new aircraft will help the airline grow its fleet and replace its older A330-300 aircraft.
- Currently, Virgin Atlantic has five A330-900s in its fleet.
Virgin Atlantic has announced that it has ordered seven Airbus A330neo aircraft, bolstering its fleet of all-widebody aircraft, which includes Airbus and Boeing jets.
The deal, announced at the Farnborough International Airshow, was the third aircraft order for Airbus, which was lagging behind its main rival, Boeing, at the event, which began on July 22.
More A330neos
With the new order, Virgin Atlantic’s commitments for the A330neo will rise to 19 aircraft, enabling the airline to retire its older A330s, namely its A330-300 aircraft, of which it has ten. The airline also has five A330-900 aircraft, ch-aviation data showed.
Photo: The Global Guy | Shutterstock
According to Shai Weiss, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Virgin Atlantic, the order has allowed the airline to complete its multi-billion-dollar fleet transformation with the seven additional A330-900 aircraft.
“Flying the youngest fleet is the most readily available and significant lever towards decarbonising long-haul aviation and we are proud to already operate one of the youngest and most fuel and carbon efficient fleets across the Atlantic.”
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The carrier’s twin-aisle aircraft are generally relatively young.
Special relationship with Airbus
Weiss continued that Virgin Atlantic’s special relationship with Airbus began in 1993 when the carrier took delivery of ‘Lady in Red,’ an A340-300, registered as G-VGUS.
The special relationship continued when Airbus delivered ‘Ruby Rebel,’ an A330-900, registered as G-VSRB, an aircraft that was used to celebrate Virgin Atlantic’s 40th birthday.
“Virgin Atlantic has flown more than 60 Airbus tails in the last three decades. While not first to the party, they’ve been our main dance partner, making our customers smile ever since.”
Photo: Virgin Atlantic
Meanwhile, Christian Scherer, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Airbus Commercial Aircraft, added that it was grateful that Virgin Atlantic has chosen the A330-900 to expand its fleet as part of its strategy to have the youngest fleet flying across the Atlantic Ocean.
“The A330neo not only delivers unbeatable operational seat mile cost and an exceptional passenger experience, it also greatly enhances Virgin Atlantic’s fleet efficiency and contributes to their sustainability journey.”
According to the announcement at the Farnborough International Airshow, the seven aircraft will be delivered until Q1 2028, when the airline plans to have 12 A350-1000 and 19 A330-900 aircraft in its fleet.
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