My understanding of the situation at Virgin is this, anyone operating out of LHR will have noticed 3 787s parked with engine covers on. This is apparently because RR have made engines with turbine blades that melt, as a result 4 or 5 of Virgins 787s are going under "deep" maintenance for a few months. To cover the work load they bought 4 330s from Air Berlin hence the sudden need for 50 Airbus pilots with immediate start dates. The question in my mind is what happens when the 787s come back in to service? Will Virgin expand by 4 aircraft because if they don't they will be vastly over crewed!