Airbus extends A330 market leadership with new 240t MTOW option

More payload, more range, more markets

At the start of the Farnborough Airshow, Airbus enhanced the capability of its very popular A330 by announcing an increased maximum take-off weight (MTOW) option of 240 tonnes. By the end of the show, it had already secured its first order from lessor CIT.

The 240 tonne A330-300 will have up to 400nm extra range, gives it up to 5,950nm with 300 passengers. It will also carry up to 4.7 tonnes more payload than today’s 235 tonne aircraft. Meanwhile, the A330-200 will benefit by increasing its range by 250nm, giving it up to 7,050nm with 246 passengers, while carrying up to 2.7 tonnes more payload than today’s 238 tonne A330-200. Fuel efficiency will also improve by up to 2 percent thanks to aerodynamic refinements and engine enhancements. The new A330-300 option will be available as new-build by mid year 2015, while the A330-200 will be ready by early 2016.

In practical terms, 240 tonne capability significantly extends the market coverage of the A330 Family. Compared to the original 212 tonne A330-300 in 1992, the new 240 tonne can fly 2,000nm farther, now bringing the economic benefits of the A330 to routes such as Lima to Madrid, London to Tokyo and Beijing to Melbourne.

The new option makes the A330 an even more appealing alternative to the competition. The A330-300 can now fly a range similar to the 777-200ER but burning 15 percent less fuel. Its excellent economic savings also work against the 787 with around 5 percent lower direct operating cost per flight.

Now, more than ever, the A330 is the right aircraft, right now.

For more information contact:
Crawford Hamilton
Head of A330/A340 Marketing
crawford.hamilton@airbus.com