Virgin to order 10 Aircraft
 

On BBC news today, said that Virgin is to order 10 "Airbus" aircraft plus 50 RR engines. No mention of the type or if this is simply the firming up of previously held options. <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

50 engines divided by 10 aircraft is four (and a bit), so my guess is A340/A380. :)

Or, 1 aircraft with 50 engines & 9 gliders !!. .nope, Airbus don't make gliders,. .must be A340/380 then,

. .sorry, school boy humour moment there,. .I'll grow up one day ?. . <img src="smile.gif" border="0"> <img src="wink.gif" border="0"> :)

sounds pretty much like the original order of 10 A340-600s of which the first will arrive imminently. Cant imagine this is an additional order. Maybe just a publicity stunt.

<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/business/newsid_1831000/1831055.stm" target="_blank">http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/business/newsid_1831000/1831055.stm</a>

Wednesday, 20 February, 2002, 08:40 GMT . .Virgin 'to order Airbus jets'

. .Virgin Atlantic is set to announce a £1.5bn ($2.15bn) order for 10 Airbus A340-600 jets and 50 Rolls-Royce engines, the BBC has learned. . .The order will help secure about 3,000 British jobs at Rolls-Royce's Derby plant and at the Airbus UK's factory in North Wales.

The Virgin order had been rumoured before September 11.

But many experts in the aviation industry assumed it would be cancelled as a result of the terrorist attacks which caused a massive slump in air travel.

Airbus has lost orders for about 90 planes, or more than a quarter of its orderbook, since September 11 as a result of airlines cutting back on investment.

Cash-strapped

Such an announcement is also likely to raise some eyebrows in the city about how the cash-strapped airline will pay for the order.

Richard Branson may have either have driven an exceptionally hard bargain or resorted to vendor financing, according to the BBC's Business editor Jeff Randall.

Airbus is expected to announce the new order at a press conference in Toulouse at 0900GMT.

Airbus don't make gliders? At least one we know of.....

lol @ 29351

Don't let the Transat boys hear you say that, haha!

..was there a good deal on ex SR A340-600?

Good to see that the BBC online team don't know an A340 from a 747-400. It's a bit like when they run a Ryanair story and they include a photo of a BAC1-11!!!

From what I believe, they will be getting the 10 firm A340-600 orders already due for delivery i.e. the firm order which allegedly partially deferred/cancelled will be delivered.. .Virgin have 8 options for A340-600, I haven't heard anything about them being exercised.

Thats £1.5 billion sir, cash or on account ?

Er.........account please.

Some interesting 'news management', or a cock-up by the Beeb? I suspect the latter! The Virgin order for 10 A34-600s (and, I think, 6 options) was placed in 1999, and made Virgin the launch customer for these aircraft.. .While there have been some rumours about cancellation or deferral of this order (only in Flight International, as far as I know), no such thing has occurred - although I'll bet there's been some bloody hard negotiating since 9/11!. .I suspect that Airbus, in its relief that things are still on track with this order, have 're-announced' it to the BBC. So, no new order, and no news. Typical, really!

Earlier...it was placed in '97 and increased to 10 jets in '98.

KC. .sorry - I knew someone would catch me out on the date! You're right, of course. I think the original deal was 8 firms and 8 options in '97, and changed to 10 firms and 6 options in '98.

[ 20 February 2002: Message edited by: Scroggs ]</p>

You being irritatingly pedantic again KC, haha :)

[ 20 February 2002: Message edited by: Tin Kicker ]</p>

It was just a refinancing -- see <a href="http://uk.news.yahoo.com/020220/80/csnbj.html" target="_blank">http://uk.news.yahoo.com/020220/80/csnbj.html</a>

Delighted to hear it, lets have more of it, have one yourself etc.

Why are they suspending LHR - Capetown ? A buddy took three days to get out of Capetown this weekend ?

Guys, . .Sorry to be pedantic but it really is 10 firm 8 options. Trust me, I know (I was involved in speccing the aircraft).

Whilst the order for 10 A340-600s may be old news, what about the phasing out of the existing A340s? Was this originally planned or a result of September 11th.