VIRGIN Atlantic Airways has ordered 10 Airbus A330-300 passenger jets worth around £1.27bn – while it waits for jets to be delivered from America.

The purchase is a boost for Airbus’s plant at Broughton, near Chester, where the wings for the jets will be made.

The European aircraft manufacturer said Virgin Atlantic will buy six of the wide-body, twin-engine jets from Airbus, and will lease another four from AerCap, the Netherlands-based aircraft leasing company.

But Virgin Atlantic said it remained a customer of Boeing and its order for 15 of the US firm’s 787 Dreamliners remained intact.

It said it needed the extra capacity provided by the A330s while it awaits delivery of the American jet whose development has been beset by delays. Richard Branson, who controls the airline, said: “This will help us with future growth, taking us to new destinations such as Beijing and Vancouver.”

The A330 is the same model as the Air France jet which was lost during a tropical storm over the South Atlantic on June 1, with the loss of all 228 on board.