Virgin Atlantic Announces Airbus A330neo Fleet Order

On 17 June 2019, we announced an agreement for 14 Airbus A330-900neo aircraft at the Paris Air Show in Le Bourget, France, with options for six additional aircraft. The agreement was announced by Virgin Atlantic Chief Executive Shai Weiss alongside Airbus Chief Executive Guillaume Faury. It made us the first UK airline to place an order for the A330neo and formed part of our programme to modernise our long-haul fleet. The agreement covered eight aircraft purchased directly from Airbus and six to be leased from Air Lease Corporation. The new aircraft were intended to replace our older Airbus A330-200 and A330-300 aircraft, with deliveries initially planned to begin in 2021. The order was valued at approximately US$4.1 billion at published list prices. Powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, the A330-900neo was designed to offer improved fuel efficiency and lower noise levels. At the announcement, we estimated that it would use approximately 13% less fuel and produce 13% less carbon emissions than the A330-300 aircraft it was replacing, alongside a 50% reduction in airport noise contour. The aircraft would also feature updated cabins across Upper Class, Premium and Economy, with improved inflight entertainment and connectivity. The agreement complemented our existing order for Airbus A350-1000 aircraft and gave us another option for renewing the fleet serving business and leisure destinations from London Heathrow, London Gatwick and Manchester. It was a substantial investment in reducing the environmental impact and operating costs of our aircraft while updating the experience offered to passengers.