Virgin Atlantic buys seven new planes from ‘main dance partner’ Airbus as it targets return to profit
Virgin Atlantic has ordered seven new plans as it looks to complete its multibillion-dollar fleet transformation and return to the black.
The airline, which is backed by Richard Branson’s Virgin Group and Delta Airlines, has ordered seven new Airbus A330-900s which will be delivered from 2027.
The deal, the value of which has not been disclosed, will take the carrier’s total A330neo fleet to 19.
Virgin Atlantic said it will use the new A330-900s to replace its A330-300s, which it received in 2011.
The carrier added that the new planes are designed to be 13 per cent more fuel-efficient.
‘Airbus is our main dance partner’ – Virgin Atlantic boss
Chief executive Shai Weiss said: “Today, we complete our multibillion-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 operate one of the youngest and most fuel- and carbon-efficient fleets across the Atlantic.”
He added that Airbus is not “first to the party” – Virgin Atlantic’s first aircraft were built by Boeing – but has been “our main dance partner”.
By 2028, Virgin Atlantic plans to operate 45 aircraft comprised of 19 A330-900s, 12 A350-1000s, and 14 Boeing 787-9s, with an average age of 6.4 years.
The news comes after Virgin Atlantic said it anticipates a return to profit for the first time since the pandemic this year amid booming demand for leisure travel.
The carrier reported a record £3.1bn revenue in 2023, a £265m increase year over year.
Pre-tax losses narrowed to £139m in 2023, down from £206m the prior year, while earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) surpassed pre-pandemic levels at £80m.
Virgin Atlantic said it carried 5.3m passengers over the course of the year, at a load factor of 77 per cent. Revenue from passengers came in at a record £2.4bn, despite a slowdown in corporate travel demand.
It marks a stark shift from the days of Covid-19, when the company was forced to agree a £1.2bn rescue deal to secure its future after being denied government support.