Virgin Atlantic launched its new Airbus A330 plane, with the inaugural flight from Manchester to Orlando.

It came on the eve of the airline’s opening of a new service to Las Vegas, and the creation of 100 jobs in the Manchester area as a result of the expansion of services.

The new Airbus A330, taking off from Manchester Airport and named Beauty Queen, is part of a fleet of 10 new planes worth $2.2 billion to be delivered over the next two years.

Julie Southern, chief commercial officer for Virgin Atlantic, said: “We are very proud to welcome Beauty Queen to our fleet today.

“After some challenging times for the airline industry it is great news to be expanding again and adding new aircraft to wow our customers.

“Not only does the A330 deliver savings in emissions and fuel consumption, it offers our customers a cutting-edge product which will transform their flying experience.

“We are looking forward to seeing how customers like the new touch-screen in-flight entertainment system where they can enjoy the latest movies and music as well as downloading their own choice of content including holiday snaps and travel tips.”