Virgin Atlantic set to welcome 12 A350-1000 ‘gamechangers’
- Latest News
- Thursday, 18 August 2016
Virgin Atlantic’s new US$4.4 billion order for 12 A350-1000 aircraft is part of a fleet modernisation program that will see 50 per cent of the carrier’s aircraft replaced in a six-year period – creating one of the world’s youngest fleets.
As well as promising to make long-haul travel more enjoyable for passengers, the A350-1000 is designed to be 30 per cent more fuel and carbon efficient than the aircraft it replaces in the airline’s fleet and is expected to reduce the airline’s noise footprint at airports by more than half. For Virgin Atlantic Cargo, it will also deliver a significant improvement in lower deck cargo capacity of between 10 and 22 per cent depending on configuration. 
John Lloyd, senior vice president Cargo at Virgin Atlantic said: “We are confident the A350 will be the best cargo aircraft we’ve ever had in our fleet when we start to take delivery in early 2019. It is another demonstration of the airline’s focus on investing in the future for our customers.”
The A350-1000 will replace Virgin Atlantic’s remaining B747-400s and A340-600s and will operate on both business and leisure routes world wide. Initially the aircraft will fly to key US destinations from London Heathrow.
Today, the airline flies to over 30 destinations world wide, including locations across the United States, the Caribbean, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. It currently has 39 aircraft in its fleet, namely 13 787-9s, 10 A330-300s, eight A340-600s, and eight 747-400s.
