Virgin Atlantic on Monday confirmed a widely expected firm order for 14 Airbus A330-900s with options for a further six, marking a next step in its fleet transformation and what the London Gatwick-based airline’s CEO Shai Weiss described as “a commitment to sustainable travel.” The widebody neos will replace Virgin's A330-200/300s starting in 2021.

Delivery of the A330neos—eight are to be acquired by Virgin Atlantic and six leased from Air Lease Corp.—will run through 2014, and are complementing its 12 A350-1000s, the first of which is due to enter service this summer. Virgin's A330-900s will be powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, the sole powerplant for the model.

Speaking during a Paris Air Show briefing, Weiss said the airline had considered “all options” for the A330neo replacement but selected the A330neos over the Boeing 787 owing to the commonality with the A350 and the model’s strong environmental credentials. “Our pilots can fly both the A330neo and the A350,” he said, adding that the newly ordered A330s will make Virgin “good neighbors” for the airports it flies to and from.

The A330-900s are expected to reduce the airline’s noise footprint at its airports by more than half. Virgin’s 49 percent shareholder and transatlantic joint-venture partner, Delta Air Lines, provided input during the selection process, Weiss said. Delta has 35 A330-900s on order and took delivery of the first example last month.

Virgin Atlantic in January embarked on a three-year business plan that eyes return to growth and aims to double its size at London Heathrow when the airport’s third runway becomes operational in 2026. “We want to become the nation’s second flag carrier at Heathrow,” Weiss insisted, calling the planned third runway a “once in a lifetime opportunity” to double Virgin's slot portfolio at the airport.

He said the current slot regime at Heathrow is “not fit for purpose and must change to allow for a second flag carrier,” vowing the airline intends to make a lot of noise on the subject.