Modern aircraft with two engines flying transatlantic (the most common models used for transatlantic service being the Airbus A330, Boeing 767, Boeing 777 and Boeing 787) have to be ETOPS certified.
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However, the new Upper Class seats on the A330-900 and A350 are simply fantastic and hands down my favorite way to cross the Atlantic. You can easily see which plane is flying your route by clicking the “Details” button when you search for flights on the Virgin Atlantic website.
Since 2010, Airbus A330s have been carrying our guests across the Pacific in style. Each plane is assembled at the Airbus facility in Toulouse, France, then flown 16 hours and 6,600 miles to Hawaii, often non-stop. After that, HNL to LAX is like a quick trip to Molokai!
The reason for this is that the A330 has a smaller fuel capacity than other wide-body aircraft like the Boeing 777 and the Airbus A350. This means that it has a shorter range and cannot fly as far as these other planes without refueling.
On the surface, these are two very similar airplanes, with very similar specifications. While the Airbus has slightly more passenger capacity, thanks to its slightly superior length, the Boeing has a more generous belly for cargo, and a greater range overall.
The A330 is significantly smaller / lighter aircraft than a B777. The B777 cruises at a faster speed also. At the same time, the B777 engine has around 9:1 bypass ratio, while the A330 has a 5:1 bypass ratio.
The Airbus A330-200 is the largest aircraft we offer. It is a modern, efficient and reliable aircraft and can fly for more than 14 hours non-stop, making it ideal for ultra-long-range operations.
The larger planes, such as the Boeing 747, 777, 787 and the Airbus A330 and A380, have much more seats than the smaller Embraer 190, Boeing 737 and Airbus A320. The A380 can transport most passengers (516 seats), followed by the Boeing 747 and 777 (408 seats).
Cost efficient and profitableNo comparably sized aircraft can match the A330-300's cost-efficiency and profitability, with significantly lower total operating costs per seat than its nearest competitor.
However, if a pilot has initially conduct an A330 course, in order to fly the A350 would need to conduct a A330 to A350 Differences Training. Note: The A330 is a common Type Rating with the A350. Therefore, when a pilot gets qualified on either aircraft, the endorsement on his/her licence is A330/350.