Virgin Atlantic 787-900 New Article

I'd be really surprised if at the end of 2015 VS didn't have a fleet that was (more-or-less):
- A330
- B787-9
- B747

There might be an A340-600 left but the above fleet plan will be much more efficient than pre-A330 & 787 arrival.

The next big call (if you excuse the pun) is what to do about replacing the 747's towards the end of this decade. My money would go on the A350.

Can anyone confirm the A330's are staying after all the 787's are delivered. ?

Seem to think they were actually a bit of a stop gap because the 787's were so far behind schedule.

Thanks

David

They were a stop-gap due to 787 delays but as far as I'm aware they're all staying. It's the A340's that will be going.. Then at some point I imagine the 747's will be going too.

The A330s were not a stop gap. They were ordered to replace some A340s.
The last 6 A340-600 orders were cancelled and switched to A330-300s.
Four additional A330 orders were placed to bring the total to 10.
They are all on 12 year leases from Aer Cap, so they will be in the fleet until the end of 2024, or longer.

Can anyone confirm the A330's are staying after all the 787's are delivered. ?

Seem to think they were actually a bit of a stop gap because the 787's were so far behind schedule.

Thanks

David

They were a stop-gap due to 787 delays but as far as I'm aware they're all staying. It's the A340's that will be going.. Then at some point I imagine the 747's will be going too.

The A330s were not a stop gap. They were ordered to replace some A340s.
The last 6 A340-600 orders were cancelled and switched to A330-300s.
Four additional A330 orders were placed to bring the total to 10.
They are all on 12 year leases from Aer Cap, so they will be in the fleet until the end of 2024, or longer.

The A330's were ordered when it was known how long the 787's were going to be delayed. If the 787's had of been on time there would have been no point in having both aircraft types in our fleet as they have similar pax configs….the 787-9's being able to fly greater distances.

The next big call (if you excuse the pun) is what to do about replacing the 747's towards the end of this decade. My money would go on the A350.

That's the big call for many airlines, the 747 will be out of production soon leaving a size gap between A330/777 and A380. The A350/777X will partly fill it. I can see many airliners using the 777X to replace jumbos but that's not in service until 2018 earliest.

Delta historically prefer Boeing, the reason they gave so many Airbus aircraft us that they acquired them through the NWA take over.

What are people's thoughts of VS using the 787 to "re-start" YYZ? Could make it more economically than it did in the past. From a purely selfish point of view I would love them to come to town. Right now its looking like my next trans-atlantic is going to be on BA

What are people's thoughts of VS using the 787 to "re-start" YYZ? Could make it more economically than it did in the past. From a purely selfish point of view I would love them to come to town. Right now its looking like my next trans-atlantic is going to be on BA

BA already have announced an increase in flights to YYZ taking them up to 19 flights per week from June including a mix of 747 and 787 and this will probably mean not.