18 replies to this topic

[DiscoverFRA]

I always have the bad new , but whatever:rolleyes:, in looks like the fuel thirsty A340 end is insight, Lufthansa announced plans to ground these jumbos with no time frame given, and Airbus has revealed order for the model have slowed and orders for -300 variant has dried up, all indicators that this model could go out of production aided by the global economic down turn

[Jet]

TAP is retiring theirs as well.

[mikhail]

that's bad...i really thought the A34Os are fuel efficient and economical compared to some of the boeing planes...bad news, really...tsk, tsk, tsk...

[DiscoverFRA]

that's bad...i really thought the A34Os are fuel efficient and economical compared to some of the boeing planes...bad news, really...tsk, tsk, tsk...

we there possibly aren't that fuel consuming but, maybe for these days............

[Maestro69]

I think you guys needs to see it from a different perspective....

The Major European airlines all rely on their short-haul network to provide their connecting traffic to their long haul flights from their majors bases. British Airways, Air France/KLM and Lufthansa all do the same thing to make sure a passenger from City A can get to City B via their hubs.

But due to the current global economic crisis, some of the above mentioned airlines are not getting that connecting traffic and thus, routes that before would have high capacity aircraft dont need it anymore and require something smaller, to maintain yields and profits.

So perhaps not only could we see some Airbus A340s parked but British Airways has already stated they are going to be parking some Boeing 747-400s to reduce capacity and costs.

In regards to TAP, their major long-haul market is Brazil (they fly to i believe 9-10 decisions alone in Brazil from Lisbon!!!) and most of those routes can be reached by their newer A330-200s they have recently acquired and thus, the A340-300s in the fleet are not really that better than the A332s, thus their plan to get perhaps some of the A340-300s.

I mean, im sure even if production was closed and some airlines put some Airbus A340s in storage, there will be always some demand from them. Iberia would have interest in more A340s, as they are their main long-haul aircraft.

I think thats enough for me for today on the subject.... :shappy:

[DiscoverFRA]

Yeah he is right articles mentioned low capacity as and issue
by the way here is one of the articles:
http://www.google.co...rssinwD94RCIMO1

(kinda related) http://www.cbc.ca/mo...inentalcts.html

More Retirements I found:
- Air Canada
-Qatar

[Maestro69]

Air Canada made a big Boeing order for 777/787s and said they would dispose of the Airbus fleet once the deliveries started to come in, which is what they have done.

Qatar Airways had ordered both models but finally decided to stick with the B777-300ER for their strategy.

Im sure any aircraft of these aircraft will find homes soon.. plenty of airlines that may need extra lift, even during these times.

[schotz89]

The thing I haven't figured out yet is why Airbus went from A340-300 to
A340-500 what happened to the 400. Is it going to come out later or just what is happening with that

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[Jet]

Qatar Hates there A340's:)

[flightsimer]

The thing I haven't figured out yet is why Airbus went from A340-300 to
A340-500 what happened to the 400. Is it going to come out later or just what is happening with that

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here is how u bring a dead topic to life lol

but there will be no -400. its like the 747, you have the 100-400, but the newest is the -8 because the 8 is referring back to the 787 in its technology.

the -200/300 were the origional variants of the A340. both of which are no longer being made(the last -300 was a private one delivered last year). the -500/600 were new variants that came later, so airbus skipped the 400 to show its difference between the classic ones.

it really does come down to efficency though. The 777 family can and in many cases does replace the A340 family and its almost a 1-1 ratio. When you can use half the fuel but do the same thing and more, then why wouldnt you replace those planes? look at Air Canada for an example. they replaced their A340 fleet with the 777 and the A330 fleet with the 787. Their A340-500's when retired werent even 3 years old.

The 777-200ER replaces both the A340-200 and A340-300, the 777-200LR replaces the A340-500 and the 777-300ER replaces the A340-600

[Chaostah]

Yea.. Air Canada suffered some bankruptcy problems earlier in the decade. They got rid of all their 747's and 737's and replaced them with the 777-300ER's (usually going to LHR/FRA/MUC) and replaced the 340's with the 772LR's and 330's (going to FRA and LHR as well). They now run a massive ERJ 170/190 fleet for their regional routes and a nice fleet of a320 family (19,20 and 21) that probably replaced all their 737's.

[flightsimer]

Yea.. Air Canada suffered some bankruptcy problems earlier in the decade. They got rid of all their 747's and 737's and replaced them with the 777-300ER's (usually going to LHR/FRA/MUC) and replaced the 340's with the 772LR's and 330's (going to FRA and LHR as well). They now run a massive ERJ 170/190 fleet for their regional routes and a nice fleet of a320 family (19,20 and 21) that probably replaced all their 737's.

i told you what aircanada did.

*they replaced the 747's with the A340's.
*they have since replced the A340's with the 777-200LR (a340-500) and the 777-300ER (a340-300)
*they replaced the the 737 and DC-9's with the A320's
*the 767's are being replaced with the 787 once it comes online to the airlines.
*the A330's will be replaced by the 787 also.

[Chaostah]

don't the 330's carry more passengers than the 787's?

[flightsimer]

don't the 330's carry more passengers than the 787's?

remember, there are three different variants to the 787. and also, its not all about passenger numbers but also cargo. Air Canada's A330's are only seats 265.

the 787-3, 787-8, 787-9 and possibly the 787-10(hasnt been officially launched yet)
the -8 is what they have already ordered, 37 of, which will replace the 767's.

Air Canada's A330's are only seats 265.

the -8 will hold around 225 in a three classes
the -9 holdsl between 250 and 290 in a three class.

if they order the -9, then they are going to be able to hold the same amount of passengers but will also hold more cargo.

[Chaostah]

ahh ok... ok one thing... can you explain to me why the replacements are better?

[BRUMBCA]

I thought Air Canada were keeping there A330's.
haven't they recently gone through project XM to refurbish the cabins?
or its coming up im not sure

British Columbian.

[Chaostah]

I think the 330's are already equipped with project XM

[ZA TP Fan]

Six years later, SAA/SAL still fly theirs. Cheap, and also good for staying on the ground in LHR - since people prefer night flights

[KINGXyro]

Actually not just the Airbus A340 Family. But also for the Airbus A380 and same goes for the passenger variant of the Boeing 747-8 their orders plummeted making both manufacturers decreasing the production rate of the 2 giants. On my opinion the cargo variant of the Boeing 747-8 has still have a chance as a freighter since I noticed that most airlines that own it are cargo ones. It's just sad to say that the era of four engine airliners are quite over and it's the era of giant twin engine airlines (A330 , A350 , B777 , B787)