Branson orders A330s

The announcement came as founder Sir Richard Branson celebrated the airline's 25th anniversary and predicted the demise of first class cabins during the current recession.

He told the BBC: 'We hear that our principal rivals will get rid of first class all together. Who wants to spend £8-£9,000 on a first class ticket when they can travel on Virgin Atlantic for less than half that price?'

Branson also told The Sunday Times yesterday that BA was 'practically worthless' and urged the Government to resist any attempts to bail out the airline.

Virgin had considered a bid for its rival but concluded that its liabilities, especially its pension deficit, were too high.

Meanwhile, the new 270-seat A330-300s will be delivered from early 2011 and will feature technology enabling passengers to send and receive emails and texts to mobile devices.

They will integrate with Virgin Atlantic's existing fleet of 38 aircraft and help the airline expand before the arrival of 15 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, from 2013.

Steve Ridgway, chief executive of Virgin Atlantic, said: 'Despite the worst economic conditions in decades, we are focusing on sustainable growth in the years ahead using the most fuel-efficient aircraft possible.'