Virgin Atlantic takes delivery of its first Airbus A330neo

Virgin Atlantic Airbus A330neo (G-VJAZ) - Photo source: Airbus

October 15, Virgin Atlantic took delivery of its first Airbus A330neo, becoming the UK's first aircraft operator. The Airbus A330neo can reduce Co² emissions by up to 11% compared to the A330-300 and A330-200 version, and is certified to operate with a blend of up to 50% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). 

The Airbus A330neo (G-VJAZ), leased from Air Lease Corporation, is the 50th produced by the European manufacturer to join the fleet of the British airline. In 2019, Virgin Atlantic became the first UK airline to announce a firm order for up to 16 Airbus A330neos, reaffirming its commitment to flying the cleanest, greenest fleet in the sky. Following a multi-billion-dollar investment in fleet transformation over the last decade, the airline operates a fleet with the average aircraft age of just under seven years and 68% next-generation aircraft. 

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??@VirginAtlantic is taking delivery of its first @Airbus A330neo (G-VJAZ) directly from Toulouse: https://t.co/x7gpIAobMR ????????

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The Airbus A330neo's first commercial service will be operated between London (UK) and Boston (USA) and is scheduled for October 12. Still, a delay in delivery has forced the debut flight to be postponed.

Virgin Atlantic Airways flight VIR839P tracked via RadarBox.com

Corneel Koster, Chief Customer and Operating Officer at Virgin Atlantic commented, “When it comes to innovating for our customers, we never stand still. Our desire to create memorable experiences means we’ll continue to imagine with fresh ideas. We care about every detail of the cabin design and every step of our customer’s journey. We’re proud to unveil our state-of-the-art A330neo and show the evolution of our customer experience, with each of our customers receiving a premium experience regardless of the cabin they travel in. They’ll be better connected with their fellow travelers, our amazing crew in the air, and their friends and family on the ground. “The A330neo plays a significant role in our multi-billion dollar fleet transformation, demonstrating our commitment to the planet. We know the most impactful thing we can do as an airline is to fly the cleanest, greenest, youngest fleet possible, and the A330neo is integral to achieving this goal. It’s truly a plane for the future.”

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