Airbus Wins Virgin Atlantic Order for $4.15 Billion of Airplanes
The upgraded aircraft entered service last year but has been battling for orders with Boeing’s more advanced 787 Dreamliner.
(Bloomberg) -- Airbus SE clinched a deal to sell as many as 14 A330neo passenger jets to Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd., giving a lift to a re-engined wide-body model that has lagged behind Boeing Co.’s 787 Dreamliner in sales.
The order includes eight firm purchases by the carrier and options on six more, which would add up to $4.15 billion before typical industry discounts are factored in, Airbus announced Monday at the Paris Air Show, confirming a Bloomberg report. Virgin will also operate six A330neos owned by Air Lease Corp. The order is for the larger -900 version of the plane.
The upgraded aircraft entered service last year but has been battling for orders with the more advanced Dreamliner. The Virgin deal is a boost for Airbus after it lost key contracts for the aircraft from Hawaiian Airlines Inc. and American Airlines Group Inc., both of which switched to the U.S. rival.
To contact the reporter on this story: Benjamin Katz in London at bkatz38@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Anthony Palazzo at apalazzo@bloomberg.net, Christopher Jasper
©2019 Bloomberg L.P.