Virgin’s old A330-300 fleet, which has an average age of about 13 years, is being replaced by the more fuel-efficient A330neo. The airline ordered seven more in July, rounding out its multibillion-dollar fleet transformation plan.
Virgin expects its fleet to grow to 45 planes, with an average age of just 6.4 years, over the next four years. This includes 19 A330neos, 12 A350-1000s, and 14 Boeing 787-9s.
The A330neo complements Virgin’s similarly designed A350s, which it has acquired 12 of since 2019. BI flew on Virgin’s A350-1000 in economy from New York to London in July and found it a better long-haul option than rival British Airways, thanks to its nice coach amenities and good food.