kronus
in service - 1 year
Posts: 3,401 
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Post by kronus on Jul 23, 2024 13:41:58 GMT 1
Am I right to think that Virgin will only have 12 A350s instead of 14 by reading the paragraphs below? This is confusing, as Airbus is still showing 3 unfilled deliveries from VS. And I think there was one more from ALC as well. We will see from this month's Airbus O&D update, maybe VS has transferred 1 frame to ALC and may take those two later. Or VS traded in 2 frames when Delta ordered their 20 A35Ks. "Our fleet transformation started in 2017, when we placed orders for 12 A350s and 16 A339s." "In the year ahead, we will reach a full complement of A350s, taking our final two deliveries and build our total fleet count from 41 to 45 with four further A339s entering the fleet and retirement of two of our A333s." corporate.virginatlantic.com/content/dam/Virgin_Atlantic_Annual_Report_2023.pdfMaybe conversion of earlier planned last 2 a350-1000 deliveries in 2025 to more a330-900neo orders. Looks like no more A350-1000 deliveries for Virgin Atlantic: In 2028 planned only 12 a350-1000 in VS fleet
"It also operates twelve A350-1000s. While it has two more units of the type on order from Airbus, it currently has no plans to increase the A350 fleet beyond the current size." |
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Post by ff on Jul 23, 2024 15:02:37 GMT 1
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kronus
in service - 1 year
Posts: 3,401
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Post by kronus on Aug 5, 2024 18:54:41 GMT 1
2 a350-1000 orders cancelled by virgin according to july airbus orders report. |
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Post by stealthmanbob on Aug 5, 2024 19:57:06 GMT 1
2 a350-1000 orders cancelled by virgin according to july airbus orders report. Virgin ordered 2 extra A350-1000s from Air Lease in 2021, I wonder if they have dropped the 2 direct orders from Airbus because the Air Lease deal is better and they dont want 2 extra frames after all ? |
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kronus
in service - 1 year
Posts: 3,401
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Post by kronus on Aug 6, 2024 10:07:49 GMT 1
2 a350-1000 orders cancelled by virgin according to july airbus orders report. Virgin ordered 2 extra A350-1000s from Air Lease in 2021, I wonder if they have dropped the 2 direct orders from Airbus because the Air Lease deal is better and they dont want 2 extra frames after all ? Main goal of Virgin is to replace 10 a330-300 and 3 787-9 by 14 a330-900neo until 2028. VS doesn't need currently bigger planes than a330-900neo. |
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fly350
In Parts Built
Posts: 14
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Post by fly350 on Aug 6, 2024 12:41:04 GMT 1
quote: "VS doesn't need currently bigger planes than a330-900neo"
That's what I don't understand.
VS was flying 13x 747-400's and 20x 340-600's.
How do you replace them with just 12 + 1 a350-1000's unless they lost say 50 pct of their passengers.
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Post by ff on Aug 6, 2024 13:27:59 GMT 1
quote: "VS doesn't need currently bigger planes than a330-900neo" That's what I don't understand. VS was flying 13x 747-400's and 20x 340-600's. How do you replace them with just 12 + 1 a350-1000's unless they lost say 50 pct of their passengers. This is a big topic with multiple factors, including post-covid market condition, giving up Gatwick base and moving leisure routes to LHR, etc. I am just trying to answer part of this question, purely on seat counts. Comparing 744 with 35X, the front of each plane not changing much, all they lost is some empty Y seats (only be occupied during certain peak season). - B747-400 has C14W66Y375 (leisure) and C48W32Y306 (business) - A350-1000 has C16W56Y325 (leisure) and C44W56Y235 (business) Comparing 346 with 333/339, overall number of seats in C and W are very similar, 83 vs 79/78, again only lost some empty Y seats at the back. A340-600 has C45W38Y225 A330-300 has C31W48Y185 A330-900 has C32W46Y184 In a post-covid front-heavy market (every single VS flight I've taken in the past two years, C and W are almost always full, Y sometimes busy up to 70%-80% capacity, sometimes only 20% passengers off-peak). Not even mentioning the difference of twin jet vs. 4-engine operation costs, purely based on the seat counts, I would say the current fleet is spot on and fulfil the needs of VS right at the moment. |
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