EADS N.V. - China Airlines Boosts Airbus Fleet with First A330-300 Delivery

China Airlines of Taiwan has taken delivery of the first of fourteen ordered A330-300s, with the new aircraft being part of the carrier’s fleet renewal programme. The A330 order was placed in December 2002 and followed the introduction into service of the longer range A340 sister in 2001. Deliveries of the new A330s will continue through until 2007.

China Airlines’ A330s will be operated on the carrier’s regional network and will be configured with 36 Dynasty Supreme Class seats and 277 Economy seats. All aircraft will be powered by General Electric CF6 – 80E1 engines.

“The A330 brings us the ability to further maximise profit potential while offering passengers the highest standards of in-flight comfort available today,” said China Airlines’ President Philip Wei. “Significant commercial benefits will be derived by operating both the A330 and A340 in the fleet.”

“We are delighted that the A330 is joining the longer range A340 at China Airlines,” said Airbus President and Chief Executive Officer Noël Forgeard. “In the current challenging operating environment, airlines now have to focus more than ever on the right mix of routes and the selection of the right aircraft to serve these routes, the A330 is the ideal aircraft for China Airlines and will enable the airline to take advantage of the inherent commonality with the A340.“

The A330 will enable China Airlines to take advantage of the inherent operational commonality which it shares with the A340, a feature unique to Airbus’ family concept, thanks to its fly-by-wire controls. This factor enables China Airlines to benefit from the aircraft’s Cross Crew Qualification and Mixed Fleet Flying capabilities. Maintenance is further streamlined as the A330 and A340 are essentially one aircraft type. Commonality also extends to the cabin, where each business class passenger enjoys either a window or aisle seat, and no economy class passenger is further than one seat away from an aisle, offering a unique level of comfort.

Offering the highest degree of operational flexibility and economy combined with unmatched passenger comfort, Airbus’ A330/A340 Family of aircraft has established market leadership in the 240-380 seat category with almost 850 total orders from 64 customers to date. This includes over 230 orders from 18 customers in the Asia-Pacific region.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is a joint EADS Company with BAE Systems.

China Airlines Boosts Airbus Fleet with First A330-300 Delivery

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