Virgin Atlantic orders 10 aircraft from Airbus

www.virgin-atlantic.com

On its 25th anniversary, Virgin Atlantic revealed that it has placed an order for new long-haul aircraft with Airbus.

The deal involves the acquisition of 10 Airbus A330-300s, at a value of more than $2 billion.

Five of the 270-seat planes will be delivered in 2011, and the remaining five are scheduled for 2012.

Virgin Atlantic will deploy the new aircraft on its existing business and leisure routes services around the world.

In addition, they will help make further growth possible for the carrier, as Virgin Atlantic plans to add new destinations from London, including Beijing, Cancun and Vancouver.

The fuel-efficient A330-300 features substantial cargo capacity and lower maintenance costs. These new planes will be integrated into the carrier’s fleet of 38 planes, aiding expansion efforts before the 15 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners arrive, beginning in 2013.

AerCap, a global aviation and aircraft leasing company, is financing the new aircraft, and has indicated that four of the planes will be on direct AerCap operating leases.

A new generation of seats, both lighter and more comfortable, will be featured in the new planes, according to a source at Virgin Atlantic.

For more information on this article please visit www.travelmole.com.

www.virgin-atlantic.com