Virgin Australia has spoken about introducing widebodies back into the Brisbane-based airline’s fleet. However, any decision is likely to be years away, according to the airline’s Chief Executive Officer, Dave Emerson. Currently, Virgin has partnered a deal with Doha-based Qatar Airways, a 25% shareholder in the Australian carrier, to which the Qatari airline is wet-leasing Boeing 777-300ER aircraft to operate direct flights from Brisbane, Perth, and Sydney to 
Doha Hamad International Airport (DOH). Melbourne will also take off from December.
Virgin once operated its fleet of widebody aircraft, specifically the Airbus A330 and Boeing 777, which it utilized to operate long-haul flights to Abu Dhabi, Phuket, Hong Kong, Johannesburg, and Los Angeles. Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the airline scaled back its international operations almost entirely, leaving solely narrow-body, short-haul operations to remain.
Working With Qatar Airways
Photo: Virgin Australia
Earlier this year, Qatar Airways and Virgin Australia formed a unique partnership that would allow the Qatari-based carrier to operate aircraft on a wet-lease basis for Virgin, significantly increasing capacity between Australia and the Middle East. These flights seamlessly connect into the wider Qatar Airways network, enabling Australians a simple one-stop itinerary between destinations across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. The partnership also includes reciprocal earnings for its frequent fliers.
Utilizing Qatar Airways aircraft, this has allowed the Australian carrier to test the waters for long-haul international operations, and it will look to assess the results of these flights for a few years before looking to develop its fleet further. The current agreement with QR is for five years, and VA has considered transitioning these aircraft from wet-leases (aircraft, including crew, maintenance, and insurance) to dry-leases (aircraft only, without crew, maintenance, or insurance).
Subject to the results of its Doha-bound services, the airline will then put together an investment case for the acquisition of wide-body, long-haul capable aircraft.
Strong Local Demand
Photo: Virgin Australia
To handle growing local demand, Virgin is also set to take delivery of 16 additional aircraft between July 2025 and June 2026. 12 Boeing 737 MAX 8 are destined for Virgin this year, alongside four additional Embraer 190 aircraft. The latter are to replace the airline’s aging Fokker 100 that operates in its regional fleet.
As reported by Aviation Week, Virgin’s CEO has explained that its recent IPO (initial public offering), which saw its primary shareholder, Bain Capital, reduce its investment share to 40%, was create a new ownership structure to support the airline’s rejuvenation and development. Emerseon has stressed that the airline’s balance sheet is looking good, and is currently generating enough income for the airline’s growth, and to pave the way for its fleet renewal strategy.
Virgin Australia, which was formerly known as Virgin Blue, is just one of two airlines to still use the Virgin brand (the other being Virgin Atlantic), and remains the largest by fleet size, with 95 aircraft in operation (according to ch-aviation).
Ferrying In A New MAX 8 Via Hawaii
Photo: Preston Fiedler | Simple Flying
On July 31, the newest Boeing 737 MAX 8 touched down in Brisbane on Friday. According to Flightradar24, VH-8II left Ontario, California, on July 29, departing at 11:43, destined for Kailua Kona as VA9947. The aircraft arrived in Hawaii at 14:43, before allowing the crew to rest overnight, before expecting to take on the final leg to Brisbane.
The last flight was expected to depart on July 30, but was cancelled, and finally departed the following morning, July 31, at 07:48, traveling the nine-hour, 22-minute flight non-stop, across the South Pacific Ocean, and Coral Sea, before touching down at Brisbane International Airport at 13:09 on August 1.
Already, eight Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft operate for Virgin, with 15 more on order. By the end of next year, VA expects to have 26 737-8s and have received all remaining MAX aircraft by the end of 2027. According to ch-aviation, the next new aircraft inbound for VA will be VH-8IJ, which is expected in August, after being spotted in Melbourne, Florida, where it is being fitted with onboard WiFi.