A350 FLEET STATUS

FrenchBee and AirCarribes both have 350's with a 3-4-3 layout, and the seats look very very narrow.

FrenchBee and AirCarribes both have 350's with a 3-4-3 layout, and the seats look very very narrow.

They will be! The A350 fuselage is about 5 inches narrower than a 747 - and the aisles have to remain the same width for safety / the service trolleys. So either Virgin do a 3-3-3 configuration which would be quite nice, or densify to 3-4-3 like BA have done on their leisure 777-200's.

Given how few airlines have adopted 3-4-3 on a 350 I am extremely certain that VS won't do that with the leisure config!

I think Virgin loves their customers enough

I think Virgin loves their customers enough

BUT.... they also need the ££££££

I think Virgin loves their customers enough

BUT.... they also need the ££££££

Indeed they do. And with the capacity reduction on the MCO route due to:
(A) the A350's having fewer seats than the 747
(B) Norwegian pulling out of TATL flying
(C) the demise of Thomas Cook
there is an opportunity to make money. There is a lot of pent-up demand for visiting The Mouse when the FCO allow travel & Mr Biden opens up the US border.

BA have crammed in 3-4-3 on the 777-200 leisure configuration, so it's not as though Virgin would not be doing something their competitor hasn't.

I can see fares rising on the MCO route too - people on another forum are already complaining about the prices they are seeing for late this year / packages for next year. As things stand it'll just be IAG & Virgin flying from London & Manchester direct to MCO.

But
-The A350 is still a bit narrower than BA's 777s which is brutal in itself.
-Virgin can easily find a way to fit over 400 pax in the cabin in a config I think they will use where Upper and Premium are between Exit Doors 1 and 2 and the rest of the plane is used for Economy.
-Also the new A330s that will join the fleet are also more than capable to hold over 400 pax so a sub-fleet of leisure A330s will aid the A350s

I think the potential good news about travel could mean the delivery of the final 5 A350s will be accelerated so more flights can be added to cover the extra demand.

The only 1 of 5 A350 i can see delivered before July 2021 is G-VBOB since all her parts have already been built although that's a stretch considering she has to complete test flights too. I also think Virgin doesn't have the desire to take any new planes also as they control finances.

I think G-VBOB will be delivered in June.
G-VELJ in July.
G-VWHY in July.
G-VLIB in the Autumn.
G-VNVR in the Autumn.

Keep in mind that LIB and NVR are leased from ALC and they said they would endeavour to deliver them before the Airbus deliveries

Keep in mind that LIB and NVR are leased from ALC and they said they would endeavour to deliver them before the Airbus deliveries

I thought the order of deliveries had switched from BOB, LIB, WHY, NVR, ELJ to BOB, ELJ, WHY, LIB, NVR.

I'm starting to doubt myself now...

I'm starting to doubt myself now...

Also, only three have been assigned msn numbers so far.
BOB 492
ELJ 507
WHY 513
LIB ???
NVR ???

Maybe around 530?

Maybe around 530?

Maybe. Looks like the next available is 521.
https://www.abcdlist.nl/a350f/a350f.html

Seems so

From March, the A350s will take over the VS23/24 rotations and some VS681B/682 rotations from LHR-LAX from the 789s.

From Sunday, the A350-1000s will take over the MAN-ISB flights. G-VJAM is supposed to be operating Virgin Atlantic’s first ever A350 passenger flight out of Manchester. The aircraft will position up on Sunday morning as VS862P and is expected to operate the first 4 rotations. D0815 A0900.