The A340 was an important aircraft at the time of its launch. It offered a four-engine solution at a time when twin engines were limited in operation. In total, 377 A340s were delivered by Airbus. But which airlines placed orders for the most aircraft? This article takes a look at the top ordering airlines.
Ordering the A340
The A340 was launched in 1987 with two variants. The A340-200 was a shorter option (with a typical two-class capacity of 303) and the A340-300 (seating 335) was the longer variant.
These were followed with two more variants in 2002/2003, the A340-500 and A340-600. These offered higher capacity and increased range, as well as improved engines.
The following table shows the top ordering airlines across all variants. This is based on orders and deliveries data from Airbus; some airlines have operated more aircraft through leases or second-hand purchases.
| Airline | A340-200/300 orders | A340-500/600 orders | Total orders |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lufthansa | 35 | 24 | 59 |
| Iberia | 18 | 16 | 34 |
| International Lease Finance Corporation | 16 | 13 | 29 |
| Virgin Atlantic | 7 | 14 | 21 |
| Singapore Airlines | 17 | 5 | 22 |
| Air France | 14 | 14 | |
| Cathay Pacific | 11 | 11 | |
| Emirates | 10 | 10 |
Lufthansa
Lufthansa has been the largest operator of the A340, ordering 59 aircraft in total, and operating up to 62 (according to Planespotters.net). It was the launch customer for the A340-200 in 1992, ordering eight aircraft. It also ordered the A340-300, and at 27, this was the largest airline order for any A340 variant.
Lufthansa was also the largest operator of the later variants. It ordered 24 A340-600 aircraft.
Nico Buchholz, Senior Vice President Corporate Fleet, Lufthansa, said of the aircraft (as reported by defense-aerospace.com):
“The additional A340-600s enable Lufthansa to underpin its growth in the long-haul sector. Furthermore, the aircraft play an active role in Lufthansa’s ecological contribution to lower fuel consumption and reduced noise emissions.”
Lufthansa retired its last A340-200 in 2006. While it has not yet retired all remaining A340s, their future is unsure. As of late May 2020, its entire fleet had been grounded and sent to storage at Teruel graveyard, pending a decision on their return to service.
Iberia
Iberia took delivery of the A340-300 in 1996 (which it operated until 2016). It first ordered three aircraft, intended to replace its aging Boeing 747-300 aircraft. According to reporting by defense-aerospace.com at the time, the efficiency improvements were a significant factor in this decision. As was the commonality with the A320 and the cost savings this offered.
It went on to introduce the A340-600 in 2003. It ordered 16 from Airbus and operated two more on lease.
Iberia confirmed the retirement of its entire A340 fleet in June 2020. This was initially planned for 2025 but moved early due to the slowdown in 2020.
International Lease Finance Corporation
The International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC) was a major aircraft leasing company operating in California, US, until 2013, when it was bought by AerCap.
In total, it purchased 29 A340 aircraft, which were leased out to several airlines. ILFC was amongst the first companies to place orders for both versions of A340 aircraft.
Airlines that have leased A340 include Cathay Pacific, Iberia, Finnair, Pakistani airline AirBlue, and SriLankan Airlines.
Virgin Atlantic
Virgin Atlantic took delivery of its first A340-300 in April 1993 and ordered 10 aircraft. This was named ‘Lady in Red’ in a ceremony with Richard Branson and Lady Diana.
It went on to order 14 A340-600 aircraft, as the launch customer. It operated 19 of these in total, however, making it the third-largest purchaser but second-largest operator of the type.
Virgin Atlantic confirmed the retirement of its last three aircraft in April 2020, named ‘Lady Luck,’ ‘Dancing Queen’, and ‘Sleeping Beauty Rejuvenated’ (the last of these had come back from storage just two years earlier). It noted at the time that these three aircraft had flown a combined total of almost 180,000 hours in the sky flying for the airline across more than 21,000 flights.
Singapore Airlines
Singapore Airlines originally ordered the MD-11 but switched this to the A340 when the range of the MD-11 did not hold up in testing. It purchased 17 A340-300 aircraft in 1996, intended for use on long-haul routes that did not need the capacity of the Boeing 747.
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Singapore Airlines went on to order five A340-500 aircraft in 2003. It made use of the long-range of this aircraft (the longest of any aircraft until the A350ULR was launched), flying it between Singapore and the US.
The retirement of the A340-300s was unusual, as the airline sold them to Boeing as part of a deal to introduce the 777. The last A340-500 was retired in 2013, and replaced by the A350-900ULR.
Air France
Air France was the joint launch customer, together with fellow European airline Lufthansa, for the A340. It purchased 14 A340-300 aircraft in 1993. It has operated a total of 29 A340s (according to Planespotters.net).
Cathay Pacific
Cathay Pacific leased four A340-200 aircraft in 1994, before ordering 11 aircraft from Airbus in 1996. It added to these with aircraft from Air China and Singapore Airlines. They were recycled in 2015 in the largest recycling project it has undertaken, recycling 90% of the aircraft.
It went on to use the A340-600 as well, but leased these via ILFC rather than purchasing them. It was the first Asian airline to lease the A340-600. These were retired in 2009.
Emirates
Emirates ordered 10 A340-500 aircraft and retired its last A340 in 2016. It also operated eight A340-300 aircraft, not ordered from Airbus. It has, of course, today has moved to an all A380 and Boeing 777 fleet. With their early retirement, many of Emirates A340s found further use, including with charter airline HiFly.
What do you think of the A340? Have you flown it with any of these airlines?
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