Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Atlantic airline has confirmed it will be ordering 10 new Airbus aircraft worth £1.35 billion sterling.
Virgin Atlantic is the launch customer for the new 319-seat long-haul Airbus A340-600 aircraft, and the first of the planes will enter service in June.
Three more will be delivered by October, and a further six will enter service by 2006.
Virgin Atlantic will fly the new four-engined planes on American west coast routes and to the Far East.
Mr John Leahy, chief commercial officer with Airbus, says: "We are particularly pleased that Virgin has selected the A340-600."
Mr John Cheffins, Rolls-Royce's chief operating officer, says: "We are delighted to have this opportunity to launch the Trent 500 engine into service with Virgin Atlantic."
The new planes, which have a range of more than 7,000 miles, will replace Virgin's current A340-300 fleet.