(TAN): Virgin Australia Group recently unveiled the first phase of its fleet growth programme which will see four new Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft introduced to its network and F100 aircraft retired from service and replaced by Boeing 737-700s, the airline said.
The four new MAX 8 aircraft, scheduled to start entering service from February 2023, will reduce emissions by 15% per journey in comparison to current 737 NG aircraft. Each 737-700 will fly more passengers for a similar amount of fuel than each F100, resulting in 30% less emissions per seat per trip.
Virgin Australia CEO Jayne Hrdlicka said the fleet programme is part of a broader growth strategy which will see the Boeing 737 fleet, currently consisting of 737-700 and 737-800 aircraft, increase to 88 with the inclusion of 4 MAX 8 aircraft in response to increasing demand.
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“We are on track to return to 100% of pre-Covid domestic capacity by June this year and expect to well exceed those levels by year’s end, and our resources sector and contract flying in WA is in high demand. This investment in our fleet reflects the increased demand we are experiencing in all parts of Virgin Australia,” Hrdlicka said.
“With growth comes a larger carbon footprint, so it’s vital that we take the right steps now to ensure that as we do more flying, we are also working to reduce our emissions,” she added.
