In an event at Farnborough International Airshow, Virgin Atlantic confirmed an order of seven Airbus A330-900s (plus an undisclosed number of purchase rights), building upon the airline’s initial A330neo order made in 2019, when it became the first UK airline to order the aircraft type.
The seven new A330-900s, which will be delivered from 2027, will increase the airline’s total A330neo fleet size to 19. Virgin Atlantic currently operates five A330-900s flying to destinations including New York, Boston and Miami, with a further three aircraft to be delivered later this year, and four more by the end of 2026.
Shai Weiss, CEO of Virgin Atlantic, made the announcement in the premium economy cabin of ‘Ruby Rebel’, the airline’s latest delivery, with a special livery to mark the airline’s 40th anniversary this year. As with most airlines, Weiss did not wish to disclose the exact purchase price of the aircraft – he could only say that the airline’s overall fleet transformation programme is valued at around US$17 billion.
He said of the purchase deal with Airbus: “Buying a plane sounds easy, but behind the scenes every letter, every number, every term, is negotiated heavily, because these things don’t come cheap. They are with us for the next 20-25 years as a minimum… The actual price is a guarded secret, because everybody wants to make sure that they have their own terms, their own pricing.”
The A330neo features Airbus’s Airspace cabin architecture, designed to maximise space and the feeling of space, with key features including enlarged overhead stowage bins, high-tech lighting systems and access to the latest in-flight entertainment and connectivity systems.
The Virgin Atlantic CEO is clearly a fan: “This is our best-performing plane in terms of Net Promoter Score,” said Weiss. “You know, the Virgin Atlantic is the number one for customer satisfaction across the Atlantic. We measure everything religiously: the plane, cabin, food, cleanliness, performance and so forth. This is just the best performing one.”
He is also confident in the layout of the cabins, with 30 Thompson Aero Seating Vantage XL seats in Upper Class (plus two Vantage First ‘Retreat Suites’ which are a near-first-class experience); 46 Collins MIQ seats in premium economy; and three comfort options in the economy-class cabins, with all 184 seats based on the Recaro CL3710 model. Upper Class guests can also access ‘The Loft’, an onboard social space.
“This configuration is exceptional,” stated Weiss.
As part of the fleet transformation, the airline plans to gradually retire its 10 A330-300s from September 2024. These aircraft joined Virgin Atlantic’s fleet in 2011 and will be replaced by the new A330-900s, which are designed to be 13% more fuel and carbon efficient than the A330-300. By 2028, when the fleet transformation is due to be completed, Virgin Atlantic plans to operate a total of 45 next-generation aircraft comprised of 19 A330-900s, 12 A350-1000s, and 14 Boeing 787-9s, creating an average fleet age of 6.4 years.
“Flying the youngest fleet is the most readily available and significant lever towards decarbonising long-haul aviation, and we are proud to operate one of the youngest and most fuel and carbon efficient fleets across the Atlantic,” said Weiss.
“We are grateful to Virgin Atlantic for its decision to expand its A330neo fleet as part of its strategy to have the youngest fleet across the Atlantic,” added Christian Scherer, CEO of Airbus’s Commercial Aircraft business, who was also onboard for the announcement. “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.”
In parallel, long-term lease extensions have been agreed with AerCap for seven Boeing 787-9s. The planes will continue to fly on several Virgin Atlantic routes, including the Caribbean, North America and India, as well as new routes to the Maldives and Bengaluru, India.
