Virgin Atlantic Orders The Airbus A330neo

Virgin Atlantic has announced the completion of its fleet transformation efforts with a new aircraft purchase from Airbus for the A330neo.

The deal, for an aircraft already in the Virgin Atlantic fleet, was unveiled on Day 2 of the 2024 Farnborough Airshow.

Once delivered, the additional A330neos will bring the U.K.-based airline’s commitment to the aircraft family to 19 units. The deliveries align with the company’s ambition to streamline and become more efficient.

Airbus says the growth of the commitment to the A330neo will improve Virgin Atlantic’s economics and ensure fleet harmony.

Virgin Atlantic has undergone a major transformative process regarding its fleet over the last five years, with the removal of older and inefficient quad-engined planes.

As part of the strategy shift, the airline opted for more fuel-efficient twin-engine aircraft from Airbus and Boeing and has since adopted fleet types such as the ordered A330neo, A350-1000, and 787 from Boeing.

These aircraft have been instrumental in lowering costs considerably across the fleet and have provided Virgin Atlantic with one of the youngest fleets in Europe and the world.

Virgin Atlantic calls the order the final piece of its transformation to become more efficient. The airline says it’s seen the A330neos success already within the fleet and firmly believes a new purchase will be incredibly beneficial, with more units offering greater customer flexibility.

The relationship between Airbus and Virgin Atlantic runs deep from the arrival of the first aircraft in 1993 to many more that followed and were instrumental in developing the U.K.-based company.

Despite a slow last couple of years, Airbus’ A330neo has been progressively attracting returning and new customers. Its efficiency has proven to be an optimal solution for particular markets.