A340 Family
Versatility on long-range and ultra-long-range flights
The A340 has earned its reputation as a true globe-trotter – flying some of the world’s longest and most demanding routes while providing superior operating economics – even in challenging “hot and high” conditions – and excellent passenger comfort.
The four-engine A340 has greater range at lower cost than other long-range wide-body commercial jetliners and the aircraft’s extended reach and spacious interior also tailors it for VVIP and government use with highly discerning customers.
There are four variants in Airbus’ A340 Family: the A340-200, A340-300, A340-500 and A340-600. With the jetliners’ different fuselage lengths, this product line accommodates from around 250 to up to 475, providing extended operating ranges of up to 9,000 nautical miles.
Powered by four engines, the A340 operates independent of restrictions that apply to twin-jet airliners, allowing direct flights to destinations – even on extended over-water routes and across unforgiving terrain. It also enables operations from airports at high altitudes and climatic conditions that would be off-limits to other aircraft.
The A340 has amassed some impressive numbers: Over 600 million passengers have flown well over 20 million flight hours and 2.5 million flight cycles with airlines flying A340s as long as 16 hours per day. Over 370 A340s have been ordered.
As a member of Airbus’ modern aircraft product line, A340s enjoy full advantages from the company’s jetliner family strategy, including its application of digital fly-by-wire controls and a modern cockpit. Utilising the same basic fuselage and wing as Airbus’ twin-engine A330, the A340 shares similar airframe structures, components and systems – providing a true aircraft family with different versions to meet operators’ varied requirements.
This system and operational commonality applied across the company’s product line facilitates the support and maintenance of A340s worldwide, while ensuring access to a wide base of qualified pilots who are rated on Airbus’ fly-by-wire aircraft. Qualified pilots can transfer to the A340 in three days from the A330, or seven days from the A320.
Airbus fully supports the A340, allowing operators to benefit from the high level of spares and operational commonality with the best-sell.
Backed by the resources of Airbus, the A340 has been continuously improved ensuring the continued value that users expect – proven by the 99 per cent operational reliability.
Sharing the same technology and as part of the same industrial programme as the best-selling wide-body the A330, the A340 is built around modern technology.
In addition, Airbus has introduced performance improvement packages, increases in operating weights, greater fuel capacity, new manufacturing techniques, more powerful engines specifically for the A340 and is working with certification authorities to increase the maximum passenger capacity of the A340-600.
The A340 offers one of the quietest cabins in the sky and provides some of the most comfortable environments aloft, well suited for long- and ultra-long haul flights of up to 18 hours. Passengers enjoy the spaciousness of Airbus’ true wide-body 222-inch cross-section, with designed-in cabin flexibility for customised cabin interiors.
To meet the evolving needs of today’s passengers, Airbus has designed the A340 Family’s wide-body cabin for the modern standard of comfort – an 18-inch wide seat in economy class, as well as flexible premium class offerings. This ensures the aircraft remains suited to meet the requirements of travellers well into the future.
The A340 has significant cargo capacity in lower holds sized for everything from industry-standard LD3 containers and 96-inch pallets to generous bulk cargo areas. The A340 can accommodate up to 25 tonnes of cargo capacity and 10-14 full-sized pallet positions, depending on the model.
Additional opportunities are provided through the possibility of installing a lower-deck crew rest area in the bulk cargo zone, or using a removable mobile crew rest facility integrated on a 96-inch pallet. Other opportunities include positioning lavatories and galleys in the cargo hold area, freeing up the main-deck for additional seating.
A340 Family media gallery
Airbus showcased its “Flight Lab” BLADE test aircraft to EU Clean Sky partners at the ILA Berlin Air Show 2018. Representatives, pictured here with Airbus CEO Tom Enders, included members of the European Parliament, the European Commission, the German Government, European Member States and industrial partners from across Europe.
An Airbus A340 with modified outer wing sections is seen at the 2018 ILA Berlin air show; the BLADE test aircraft – short for Breakthrough Laminar Aircraft Demonstrator in Europe – aims to improve aviation’s ecological footprint with wings that could bring up to 50 percent reduction in air friction and lower CO2 emissions by as much as five percent
BLADE is organized through Europe’s Clean Sky aeronautical research program and won the prestigious 2018 Aviation Week Laureates Award for Commercial, Technology. The BLADE project involves 21 European partners with 500 contributors, including GKN Aerospace: designer of the starboard laminar flow wing panel, and Saab: designer of the port wing segment
The Airbus A340 Flight Lab’s first takeoff equipped with outer wing sections designed for highly smooth airflow over their surfaces, a technology that won the prestigious 2018 Aviation Week Laureates Award for Commercial, Technology. Known as natural laminar flow, such smoothed passage of air creates less drag than the airflow on traditional wings, potentially reducing fuel burn
