Having looked at the airline’s timeline, we’ll now explore the fleet past and present….

Except for leased aircraft, every one has the prefix G-V***.

A320 - Little Red operated 4 -214 provided by Aer Lingus, so retained their EI- registration.

A330 - of 19 in total, 4 -223 were ex-Air Berlin aircraft to cover for B787 engine issues. 10 -343 have been the mainstay, now supplemented by -941 (or neo), of which there are currently 5.

A340 - it’s amazing how many were operated, before taking into consideration that Virgin used to serve HKG and SYD. A total of 29, the early 300 series gradually replaced by -643 for which Virgin was the launch customer. The general opinion was the A340 was under-powered and uneconomical.

A350 – of the 11 -1041 currently operated, 4 are in the leisure configuration which operate on Caribbean and MCO routes.

B747 – the mainstay of the fleet for many years, operating a total of 28. Variants included -100, -200 and -400 series. G-VROM carried out the world’s first SAF flight. G-VROY the last to be retired. 

B787 – the -9 chosen for Virgin’s Dreamliner fleet, currently 17. They have not escaped the highly publicised engine issues. G-VDIA conducted the world’s first transatlantic flight using 100% SAF.

Let’s not forget the Vickers Viscount used on initial flights LGW-MST, then the sortie into package holiday services under the Virgin Sun livery, using leased A320 and A321 aircraft. Based at LGW and MAN, they served the popular Mediterranean and Canaries destinations. Failing to make a profit, it was sold to Air2000 in 2001.

Wanting to provide a viable alternative to BA, Richard Branson decided to provide a brand that injected a relaxed atmosphere into flying. Instead of First, his equivalent is Upper Class. Aimed primarily at the business passenger, it is still affordable to the leisure customer. Of course, it hasn’t been a smooth ride at times. Many will recall the BA dirty tricks campaign aimed at putting Virgin out of business, as they had done with Laker. For some, it’s still hard to believe that Lord King and Colin Marshall did not know about the underhand tactics used by their staff. Even before the pandemic, there were whispers in aviation circles that the airline would not survive much longer. There are still claims that Delta “run the show”.

We’ll leave the final words to Richard Branson, when asked about personal wealth –

“it’s easy to turn a billionaire into a millionaire, just start an airline!

And finally…

FR24 – anyone else finding it a bit glitchy recently? Despite the company proudly stating they’ve upgraded certain things and extended coverage, there’s still some problems to resolved. Wrong aircraft picture for registration, incorrect routings and failing to record diversions.

FR24 is bringing out a quiz book “You’re the Captain”. Launch date is 26 September 2024. Pre-order at well-known outlets now available.

FedEx – having recently moved flights to MAN, they’re now upgrading the aircraft from ATR to B737, with occasional 757 when demand dictates. Also reintroducing a stop, this time at EMA.

Captain Sullenberger – recently took to social media to highlight the incidences of skin cancer amongst pilots. He’s recently undergone minor surgery and awaiting the results. The rate of skin cancer in the USA is extremely high, with the sun’s rays penetrating the thick windshields and anti-glare visors. So, if you know anyone who flies for work or pleasure, please encourage them to use suncream!

Information courtesy of Airliner World, Captain Sullenberger (via Twitter/X)

Images courtesy of Planespotters.net,

©TPSC and Poshgirl