IATA 340

Airbus A340

Airbus

TravelerPulse profile

Airbus's long-range, four-engine widebody for ultra-long-haul routes.

First flight

1991

Category

Wide-body jet

Seating

261–440 passengers depending on variant and configuration

Range

Up to 16,670 km (A340-500)

Engines

Four CFM International CFM56 (A340-200/300) or Rolls-Royce Trent 500 (A340-500/600) turbofans

Status

In service (declining fleet)

The Airbus A340 is a long-range, wide-body commercial airliner developed by Airbus and first introduced in the early 1990s. It was designed to serve ultra-long-haul routes where twin-engine ETOPS regulations were once restrictive, featuring four underwing turbofan engines. The family includes four main variants: the A340-200, A340-300, A340-500, and A340-600. The A340 shares a common fuselage cross-section with the twin-engine A330, with which it was developed in parallel, allowing airlines to benefit from commonality in training, maintenance, and operations. The A340-500 briefly held the record for the world's longest non-stop commercial flight when operated by Singapore Airlines between Singapore and New York. Despite its range capabilities, the A340 suffered commercially as fuel prices rose, making its four-engine configuration less economical compared to twin-engine alternatives such as the Boeing 777 and Airbus A350. Airbus ceased production in 2011, and many operators have retired or are phasing out the type.

Notable operators

Major operators have included Lufthansa, Air France, South African Airways, Iberia, and Virgin Atlantic, with many now retired from service.

Notable facts

›Developed in parallel with the twin-engine A330, sharing 85% structural commonality.
›The A340-500 set a non-stop distance record when Singapore Airlines operated the Singapore–New York route.
›Airbus ended A340 production in 2011 due to poor sales driven by rising fuel costs.
›The A340-600, at 75.3 metres, was one of the longest commercial aircraft ever built at the time of its introduction.
›Four-engine design originally offered an advantage over twins for ultra-long overwater routes before ETOPS rules evolved.