Virgin Atlantic (VS, London Heathrow) ordered seven A330-900 from Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) during the ongoing 2024 Farnborough Air Show as the final part in a long-running fleet renewal process. The airline will acquire the aircraft outright in line with its strategy to increase its number of owned aircraft.

The airline said the new order increases its total A330-900 commitment to 19. The ch-aviation fleets module shows it currently operates five aircraft of the type. The airline told ch-aviation it would take a further three -900s by the end of 2024 and four more by the end of 2026. The seven newly ordered aircraft will be delivered between 2027 and 2028, with all 19 in service by the first quarter of 2028.

Virgin Atlantic clarified to ch-aviation it has nine more options for the A330neo.

The newly ordered A330-900s will allow the airline to complete its fleet transition as it retires its last nine A330-300s. These are expected to start exiting the fleet gradually from September 2024.

Virgin Atlantic has also signed a long-term lease extension for seven B787-9s with AerCap. The airline operates seventeen B787-9s and plans to reduce this fleet to 14 units by the first quarter of 2028.

It also operates twelve A350-1000s. While it has two more units of the type on order from Airbus, it currently has no plans to increase the A350 fleet beyond the current size.