Virgin Australia to add Max 8s to fleet from 2023

Virgin Australia is beefing up its fleet with the addition of the controversial Boeing 737 Max 8 from next year.

Virgin said the fleet program changes were part of a “broader growth strategy”.

Virgin Australia will add four new Boeing 737 Max 8s to its expanding fleet next year in a move aimed at reducing carbon emissions.

The airline announced the additions 16-months after taking Max 8s out of its aircraft order with Boeing, in favour of the larger Max 10s.

The Max aircraft only returned to service at the end of 2020 after a 21-month global grounding following two fatal crashes in the space of five-months.

Despite their tainted history, the aeroplanes are being operated by dozens of airlines worldwide, and are used on services into Australia by Singapore Airlines and Fiji Airways.

Low cost carrier Bonza also plans to fly three 737 Max 8s when it begins regional flights in Australia later this year.

Virgin Australia still has 25 Max 10s on order, with the first deliveries due mid-2023.

The Max 8s were expected to start entering service from next February and reduce emissions by 15 per cent a flight, compared to the 737-800s which make up the bulk of Virgin’s aircraft.

In other fleet changes, 10 Fokker 100s operated by Virgin Australia Regional Airlines (VARA) are set to be replaced with Boeing 737-700s from the first quarter of next year.

With the ability to carry up to 40 more passengers than the Fokkers, the 737-700s will result in 30 per cent fewer emissions per seat on each flight.

Virgin CEO Jayne Hrdlicka said the fleet program was part of a “broader growth strategy” that would see the airline operate 88 aircraft, up from 58 post-administration.

“We are on track to return to 100 per cent 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 Western Australia is in high demand,” Ms 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.”

In addition to the sustainability benefits, the fleet program also presented greater opportunity for team members across the business, Ms Hrdlicka said.

“Existing Fokker 100 flight and cabin crew, VARA engineering and support staff and corporate and operations functions will be progressively trained to operate and maintain a 737 fleet, both as F100 aircraft are retired and as the airline continues to grow its WA resources sector and contract flying business,” she said.

Ms Hrdlicka said Virgin had a younger average fleet age than other airlines in Australia but that was set to change with Qantas’s domestic fleet renewal named Project Winton.

The flying kangaroo has flagged its intention to order up to 134 Airbus A320neo and A220 jets for delivery from 2024, to replace its ageing 737-800s and 717s.