Virgin Atlantic will buy eight of Airbus’ new A350 widebody jets and plans to lease another four, calling the jet its “future flagship.”
The first of the A350-1000s will begin arriving to the carrier in 2019. The A350-1000 is the largest variant of the widebody jet, the newest in Airbus’ lineup of commercial passenger aircraft types. The first A350 -- the smaller -900 variant -- entered commercial service for the first time in January 2015.
The deal would be worth more than $4 billion at list prices, though airlines typically negotiate substantial discounts on such orders.
“The size of this order demonstrates our absolute focus on investing in the future for our customers and our people, and confirms the strength of our business,” Virgin Atlantic CEO Craig Kreeger says in a statement, adding “the A350-1000 plays a pivotal role in our fleet program.”
Virgin Atlantic's A350s will initially fly from its hub at London Heathrow in what the carrier calls an effort “to strengthen the trans-Atlantic network on existing business routes.” Virgin Atlantic will later expand A350 service to London Gatwick for leisure-oriented routes to the Caribbean.
Virgin Atlantic owner RIchard Branson tells The Wall Street Journal that the new A350-1000s will largely go toward phasing out the airline's aging Boeing 747s.
Reuters writes "Kreeger said the airline still had options over six A380 jets and continued to consider that aircraft for its fleet in future," though there's industry observers are skeptical that Virgin Atlantic will ever fly that aircraft.
The A350 order was announced Monday during the first day of the Farnborough Airshow near London. The week-long show alternates years with the Paris Airshow and is one of the biggest annual events in the aviation industry.
The announcement of splashy aircraft deals have been common at the Paris and Farnborough shows in recent years. But industry observers predict 2016 will be a spartan year for the the big blockbuster orders that have come to define previous shows.
Another common theme at the airshows has been the rivalry over airline deals between Europe’s Airbus and U.S. jetmaker Boeing.
Airbus touted its deal to sell the A350 to Virgin Atlantic, a development that comes less than two years after Virgin Atlantic began flying its first models of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
“This agreement allows Virgin Atlantic to set the standard on its network by being amongst the first airlines into service with the A350-1000, with an Airspace by Airbus cabin, offering superior comfort including industry leading 18" wide seats in economy,” Airbus CEO Fabrice Brégier says in a statement. “These modern, efficient A350s will complement Virgin Atlantic’s existing fleet of 10 A330-300s and offer Virgin Atlantic crews the advantage of familiarity with Airbus operating procedures around the network”
The 787 is one of Boeing’s direct competitors to the A350.
"It is safe to call (the 787) a flagship aircraft for Virgin Atlantic," Kreeger told Today in the Sky in October 2014 as the airline prepared to put its first Dreamliner into service.
PHOTOS: Virgin Atlantic gives first look inside new Dreamliner (2014)
PHOTOS: Airbus' new Airbus A350 on display in Milwaukee (2015)
PHOTOS: Qatar Airways' Airbus A350 delivery flight (2015)
