Editing Airbus A340 (section)

===A340-600===
[[File:A- 340- 600 (5811453390).jpg|thumb|The A340-600 has five doors per side, as seen here on a since-retired [[Iberia (airline)|Iberia]] aircraft.]]

Designed to replace early-generation [[Boeing 747]]-200/300 airliners, the A340-600 can carry 379 passengers in a three-class cabin layout for {{cvt|13900|km|nmi mi}}. It provides a passenger capacity similar to a 747 but with 25 per cent more cargo volume and lower trip and seat costs. The first flight of the A340-600 was made on 23 April 2001.{{sfn|Norris|Wagner |2001|p={{page needed|date=July 2020}}}} [[Virgin Atlantic]] began commercial services in August 2002.<ref>{{Cite web |title=VIRGIN ATLANTIC'S A340-600 – THE LONGEST PLANE IN THE WORLD – TAKES ITS FIRST COMMERCIAL FLIGHT |website=Asiatraveltips.com |date=1 August 2002 |url= http://www.asiatraveltips.com/travelnews2002/1August2002Virgin.shtml |access-date=3 December 2010}}</ref><ref>{{Cite press release |title=Virgin Atlantic's A340-600 – the Longest Plane in the World – Takes its First Commercial Flight |via=Pressreleasenetwork.com |date=5 August 2002 |url=http://www.pressreleasenetwork.com/pr-2002/aug/mainpr2006.htm |access-date=3 December 2010 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101127141357/http://pressreleasenetwork.com/pr-2002/aug/mainpr2006.htm |archive-date=27 November 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The variant's main competitor is the [[Boeing 777|777-300ER]]. The A340-600 was replaced by the [[Airbus A350|A350-1000]].
[[File:D-AIHI cockpit.jpg|thumb|The flight deck of an A340-642 operated by [[Lufthansa]], showing some more modern equipments compared to the older A340-200/300. ]]
The A340-600 is {{cvt|12|m|ftin|1}} longer than a −300, more than {{cvt|4|m|ftin|1}} longer than the [[Boeing 747-400]] and {{cvt|2.3|m|ftin|1}} longer than the [[Airbus A380|A380]], and has two emergency exit doors added over the wings. It held the record for the world's longest commercial aircraft until the first flight of the [[Boeing 747-8]] in February 2010. The A340-600 is powered by four {{cvt|250|kN|lbf}} thrust [[Rolls-Royce Trent 500|Rolls-Royce Trent 556]] turbofans and uses the [[Honeywell]] 331–600[A] APU.<ref name="https"/> As with the −500, it has a four-wheel [[Landing gear|undercarriage]] bogie on the fuselage centre-line to cope with the increased [[MTOW]] along with the enlarged wing and rear empennage. Upper deck [[aircraft cabin|main cabin]] space can be optionally increased by locating facilities such as crew rest areas, [[Galley (kitchen)|galleys]], and [[Toilet#Lavatory|lavatories]] upon the aircraft's lower deck. In early 2007, Airbus reportedly advised carriers to reduce cargo in the forward section by {{cvt|5.0|t|lb}} to compensate for overweight first and business-class sections; the additional weight caused the aircraft's centre of gravity to move forward, thus reducing cruise efficiency. Affected airlines considered filing compensation claims with Airbus.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/engineering/article1624119.ece |date=7 April 2007 |access-date=7 April 2007 |title=Carriers ponder compensation claims against Airbus for overweight aircraft |location=London |work=[[The Times]] |first=David |last=Robertson |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070408185427/http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/engineering/article1624119.ece |archive-date=8 April 2007 }}</ref>

The A340-600HGW (''H''igh ''G''ross ''W''eight) version first flew on 18 November 2005<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/11_18_05_A340600.html|date=18 November 2005|access-date=6 August 2006|title=New A340-600 takes to the skies |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20060519212124/http://www.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/11_18_05_A340600.html |archive-date= 19 May 2006}}</ref> and was certified on 14 April 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/06_04_14_certifies_a3400600.html|title=Newly certified A340-600 brings 18% higher productivity|date=14 April 2006|access-date=6 August 2006 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20060616190914/http://www.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/06_04_14_certifies_a3400600.html |archive-date= 16 June 2006}}</ref> It has an [[MTOW]] of {{cvt|380|t|lb}} and a range of up to {{cvt|14630|km|nmi mi}}, made possible by strengthened structure, increased fuel capacity, more powerful engines, and new manufacturing techniques like [[laser beam welding]]. The A340-600HGW is powered by four {{cvt|61900|lbf|kN}} thrust [[Rolls-Royce Trent]] 560 turbofans. [[Emirates (airline)|Emirates]] became the launch customer for the −600HGW when it ordered 18 at the 2003 [[Paris Air Show]];<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/06_16_03_Emirates.html|access-date=6 August 2006|title=Emirates orders 41 additional Airbus aircraft|date=16 June 2003 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20060519212130/http://www.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/06_16_03_Emirates.html |archive-date= 19 May 2006}}</ref> but postponed its order indefinitely and later cancelled it. Rival [[Qatar Airways]], which placed its order at the same airshow, took delivery of only four aircraft, with the first aircraft on 11 September 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.qatarairways.com/global/en/homepage.html?id=0,2773,0,0,1,0&tab=5 |title=Qatar Airways First Airbus A340-600 Arrives in Doha}} www.qatarairways.com</ref> The airline has since let its purchase options expire in favour of orders for the Boeing 777-300ER.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.seattlepi.com/default/article/First-Boeing-jet-of-many-touches-down-in-Qatar-1257290.php |title=First Boeing jet of many touches down in Qatar| access-date=2 July 2011 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer| first1=James| last1=Wallace| first2=P-I| last2=Aerospace| date=29 November 2007}}</ref>

As of March 2024, there were 33 A340-600s in service with nine airlines worldwide.{{Cn|date=August 2024}}