The aircraft is set to be operational by 2027, enhancing the current Virgin Atlantic fleet of A330-900s powered by the Trent 7000 engine. According to Ewen McDonald, Chief Customer Officer at Rolls-Royce – Civil Aerospace, Virgin Atlantic’s decision to procure seven Airbus A330neos reaffirms their confidence in the Trent 7000 engine and A330neo pairing. He expressed excitement about providing support for these new aircraft upon their introduction.
Corneel Koster, Chief Customer and Operating Officer at Virgin Atlantic, highlighted the popularity of the A330neo among passengers and crew. The order for an additional seven A330neos, equipped with the fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engine, signifies the completion of the fleet transformation. This move ensures that customers can continue to enjoy the airline’s renowned in-flight experience.
The Trent 7000 engine is the most recent offering in the Rolls-Royce Trent engine series and is exclusively used to power the Airbus A330neo. Since its debut in late 2018, the Trent 7000 has accumulated over two million hours of flight time. The A330neo/Trent 7000 combination incorporates cutting-edge technology, achieving a 14% improvement in fuel efficiency per seat compared to the A330/Trent 700, all while reducing emissions significantly.
Rolls-Royce is making a substantial investment exceeding £1bn in a program aimed at enhancing the Trent engine family further.
