LONDON: British airline Virgin Atlantic on Tuesday ordered seven long-haul Airbus A330s, as the European planemaker sought to catch up with US rival Boeing on orders won at the Farnborough Airshow. The purchase, for an unspecified amount, comes after Boeing won the orders battle on Monday, the start of the biennial aviation event, southwest of London.

The latest purchase will “complete the fleet transformation” of the carrier’s greener fuel-efficient aircraft, Airbus and Virgin said in a statement. The jets - which will be delivered from 2027 - are worth a combined total of just over $2 billion, according to the most recent catalogue prices, though airlines typically negotiate big discounts. The latest order brings to 19 the total number of A330 aircraft ordered by Virgin Atlantic, which was founded by British billionaire Richard Branson four decades ago.

“We are proud to operate one of the youngest and most fuel and carbon efficient fleets across the Atlantic,” Virgin Atlantic CEO Shai Weiss said.

The A330s are certified to fly with 50-percent sustainable aviation fuel - while Airbus expects them to switch to 100 percent by 2050. As of June, Airbus had a total of 185 A330 jets on its order book.

“We are grateful to Virgin Atlantic for its decision to expand its A330neo fleet as part of its strategy to have the youngest fleet across the Atlantic,” said Christian Scherer, CEO of the commercial aircraft business at Airbus. “The A330neo... greatly enhances Virgin Atlantic’s fleet efficiency and contributes to their sustainability journey.” — AFP