London-based Virgin Atlantic has placed a firm order for seven more A330neos as part of its wider fleet transformation.
More A330neos
Virgin Atlantic has placed a firm order for seven more Airbus A330neo aircraft. The agreement takes Virgin Atlantic’s commitment for the A330neo to 19 aircraft in total.
The order was announced during the Farnborough Airshow onboard Virgin Atlantic’s A330neo, named ‘Ruby Rebel’, and registered as GB-VSRB after founder Sir Richard Branson, to celebrate the airline’s 40th anniversary.
Today, we complete our multi-billion-dollar fleet transformation, with the purchase of seven additional A330-900s, which we know our customers and our people love to fly. 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.
Our special partnership with Airbus began with the arrival of ‘Lady in Red’ in 1993, with our most recent arrival, ‘Ruby Rebel’, arriving to mark our 40th birthday this year. 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.
Shai Weiss, Chief Executive Officer, Virgin Atlantic said.
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These new aircraft will be delivered to the airline 2027 onwards.
We are grateful for Virgin Atlantic’s decision to expand its A330neo fleet as part of its strategy to have the youngest fleet across the Atlantic. 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. We look forward to continuing this smooth and successful collaboration for many years to come.
Christian Scherer, Chief Executive Officer, Airbus Commercial Aircraft said.
Fleet plan
Virgin Atlantic also shared its fleet plan during the announcement. The airline says that it has extended the lease term of seven of its B787-9 Dreamliners. The airline has orders for 17 of them, but it is expected that the number will come down to 14 by the first quarter of 2028.
By the end of this year, the airline will receive three more A330neos and four more by the end of 2026. This will come from the initial order of 12 A330neos. The airline will have all 19 of them in its fleet by the first quarter of 2028.
In September 2024, Virgin Atlantic will begin phasing out its 10 older Airbus A330-300s that it currently has in its fleet. As for the A350-1000s, the airline says that it won’t take any new aircraft of this particular type and will continue using what it already has.
Featured image by Virgin Atlantic
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