Virgin Atlantic hope Dreamliner launch will fly it back to profit
Virgin Atlantic has announced the inaugural route for its new $5bn Boeing Dreamliner 787-9 fleet, with the first flights scheduled between London Heathrow and Boston for this October.
The move is part of a wider roll out of new Dreamliners, which are estimated to account for over 50 per cent of its total fleet by 2018.
The 787-9 range will feature improved fuel efficiency of 21 per cent per flight compared to equivalent sized aircraft in Virgin’s fleet, as to the airline seeks to cut costs and return to profit this year.
The announcement came as Virgin Atlantic celebrated its 30th anniversary since being founded by British business tycoon Richard Branson on 22 June 1984.
However, the company has been through some turbulence recently, with two straight years of losses.