Airline operator Virgin Australia on Friday said it has added six Boeing MAX-8 aircraft to further expand its fleet and meet travel demand, taking its total order for the planes to fourteen.

Australia's second-biggest carrier returned to a profit for the first time in 11 years in fiscal 2023, buoyed by a strong recovery in travel demand following the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Travel demand remains high and we continue to grow and renew our fleet, enabling us to deliver great value and choice in the market," Virgin Australia Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer Alistair Hartley said.

The six aircraft will be delivered in the second half of 2024, and will reduce emissions by at least 15% per flight, supporting the airline’s ambition of reducing carbon emissions intensity by 22% by 2030, the company said.

The MAX-8 aircrafts will enter the domestic and short-haul international routes including Fiji, Bali and Samoa, the carrier said.

(Reporting by Adwitiya Srivastava in Bengaluru; Editing by Mrigank Dhaniwala)