Virgin Australia secures eight more B737NGs on lease

Virgin Australia (VA, Brisbane Int’l) has signed lease commitments for a further nine B737-800s with deliveries due between October 2021 and February 2021.

“With this extra fleet capacity, we will be well-positioned to reach our target share of 33 per cent of the domestic market, and service the destinations that our customers want with the frequency they expect,” Chief Executive Jayne Hrdlicka said.

According to the ch-aviation fleets advanced module, the airline currently operates two owned B737-700s, fifty-one -800s, and a further fifteen -800s placed on Virgin Australia International’s AOC. The 800s are split between owned (31) and leased (33) units, with a further three leased out to Rex – Regional Express. In April 2021, it announced a commitment to dry lease a further ten -800s, of which the first seven have already been delivered. In total, the airline expects to operate 77 narrowbody aircraft once the deliveries of the newly signed nine units are completed.

The airline has twenty-five B737-10s on firm order from Boeing. It said it had already “commenced planning” for the induction of the type expected in mid-2023.