Virgin Atlantic has revealed its fourth Airbus A330neo, G-VEII, will be handed the name ‘Queen of the Skies.’
The name is a tribute to the late HM Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away in 2022. Virgin Atlantic has been known to give names to their aircraft, typically naming the types after influential people.
Just like Queen Elizabeth during her historic 70-year reign, Virgin Atlantic is proud to fly the flag for the United Kingdom around the world
Chief Customer and Operations Officer at Virgin Atlantic, Corneel Koster
The tribute has seen some on social media express discontent with naming an A330neo the queen of the skies. Given that title is typically given to the Boeing 747, a type now removed from the Virgin Atlantic fleet.
At Virgin Atlantic, they want to replicate what Queen Elizabeth did for the country during her historic 70-year reign. Genuinely looking to fly the flag and be the choice for the people. Hence naming the aircraft in such a manner is symbolic of the direction of the carrier. In addition, to them, it’s also a fitting tribute to someone who played such an important role.
The Airbus A330neo is part of Virgin Atlantic’s fleet overhaul, including the A350-1000 and Boeing 787s. These A330neos will play a role in replacing the existing A330-300s. Meanwhile, older types like the A340 and 747 are distant memories.
