Editing Airbus A340 (section)

==Operational history==
[[File:Airbus A340-311, AirLanka AN0205264.jpg|thumb|[[Air Lanka]] was the Asian launch customer of the aircraft.]]

The first variant of the A340 to be introduced, the A340-200, entered service with the launch customer, Lufthansa, in 1993. It was followed shortly thereafter by the A340-300 with its operator, Air France. Lufthansa's first A340, dubbed ''Nürnberg'' (D-AIBA),{{sfn|Eden |2008|p=35}} began revenue service on 15 March 1993.{{sfn|Norris|Wagner |2001|p=71}}{{sfn|Eden|2008|p=36}} Air Lanka (later renamed [[Sri Lankan Airlines]]) became the Asian launch customer of the Airbus A340; the airline received its first A340-300, registered (4R-ADA), in September 1994. British airline [[Virgin Atlantic]] was an early adopter of the A340; in addition to operating several A340-300 aircraft, Virgin Atlantic announced in August 1997 that it would be the worldwide launch customer for the new A340-600.<ref name="virgin">[http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/tridion/images/LH_Timeline_tcm20-1014744.pdf "A brief history of Virgin Atlantic."] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303233849/http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/tridion/images/LH_Timeline_tcm20-1014744.pdf |date=3 March 2016 }} ''Virgin Atlantic'', Retrieved: 11 May 2014.</ref> Virgin performed the first commercial flight of the A340-600 in July 2002.<ref name="virgin"/>

Singapore Airlines ordered 17 A340-300s and operated them until October 2003. Boeing purchased those A340-300s as part of an order for [[Boeing 777]]s in 1999.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Zuckerman|first=Laurence|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/07/01/business/boeing-and-airbus-battle-over-singapore-airline-sales.html|title=Boeing and Airbus Battle Over Singapore Airline Sales|newspaper=The New York Times|date=1 July 1999|access-date=19 July 2016}}</ref> The airline then purchased five long-range A340-500s, which joined the fleet in December 2003. In February 2004, the airline's A340-500 performed the longest non-stop commercial air service worldwide, conducting a non-stop flight between Singapore and Los Angeles.<ref>[http://www.airbus.com/presscentre/pressreleases/press-release-detail/detail/airbus-press-centre-press-release-35/ "Singapore Airlines A340-500 Flies Into The Record Books".] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160622013058/http://www.airbus.com/presscentre/pressreleases/press-release-detail/detail/airbus-press-centre-press-release-35/ |date=22 June 2016 }} ''Airbus S.A.S'', 4 February 2004.</ref> In 2004, Singapore Airlines launched an even longer non-stop route using the A340-500 between [[Newark Liberty International Airport|Newark]] and [[Singapore Changi Airport|Singapore]], [[Singapore Airlines Flight 21|SQ 21]], a {{convert|15344|km|nmi mi}} journey that was the longest scheduled [[Non-stop flight|non-stop commercial flight]] in the world.<ref name="CNN long flight"/> The airline continued to operate this route regularly until the airline decided to retire the type in favour of new [[Airbus A380|A380]] and A350 aircraft;<ref>{{cite web |last=Peterson |first=Barbara |date=24 October 2012 |title=Singapore Airlines to End World's Longest Flight |work=The Daily Traveler |url= http://www.cntraveler.com/daily-traveler/2012/10/singapore-air-worlds-longest-flight-end-a380-newark |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140512214916/http://www.cntraveler.com/daily-traveler/2012/10/singapore-air-worlds-longest-flight-end-a380-newark |archive-date=12 May 2014}}</ref> its last A340 flight was performed in late 2013.

The A340 was typically used by airlines as a medium-sized long-haul aircraft and was often a replacement for older [[Boeing 747]]s as it was more likely to be profitable than the less efficient 747.{{sfn|Doganis|2002|pp=133–135}} Airbus produced several A340s as large private jets for [[VIP]] customers, often to replace ageing Boeing 747s in this same role. In 2008, Airbus launched a dedicated corporate jetliner version of the A340-200: one key selling point of this aircraft was a range of up to {{convert|8000|nmi|km}}. Airbus had built up to nine different customised versions of the A340 to satisfy private customers' specific demands before 2008.<ref>Lombardo, David A. [http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/aviation-international-news/2008-05-27/airbus-unveils-a340-200-bizliner "Airbus unveils A340-200 bizliner."] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160514001915/http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/aviation-international-news/2008-05-27/airbus-unveils-a340-200-bizliner |date=14 May 2016 }} ''Aviation International News'', 27 May 2008.</ref>

[[File:South African Airways Airbus A340 ZS-SXD Perth 2018 (01).jpg|thumb|A [[South African Airways]] A340-300 with 2-wheel centre-line bogie on final approach at [[Perth Airport]] in 2018]]
The A340 has frequently been operated as a dedicated transport for [[head of state|heads of state]]. A pair of A340-300s were acquired from [[Lufthansa]] by the ''[[Konrad Adenauer (aircraft)|Flugbereitschaft]]'' of the [[German Air Force]]; they serve as VIP transports for the [[Chancellor of Germany|German Chancellor]] and other key members of the [[Politics of Germany|German government]].<ref name="Der Spiegel">{{Cite news|title= Bundeswehr will im Eiltempo neue Regierungsflugzeuge anschaffen |work=Der Spiegel |url= http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/0,1518,540155,00.html |date= 7 March 2008 |access-date =12 March 2008}}</ref> The A340-200 was also operated by the air transport division of the [[French Air and Space Force]], where it was used as a strategic transport for troop deployments and supply missions, as well as to transport government officials, until both aircraft were sold in 2020.<ref>Osborne, Tony. [http://aviationweek.com/blog/french-air-force-a400m-breaks-cover "French Air Force A400M Breaks Cover."] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160514001914/http://aviationweek.com/blog/french-air-force-a400m-breaks-cover |date=14 May 2016 }} ''Aviation Week'', 17 January 2013.</ref><ref>https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/98370-french-air-force-sells-both-a340-200s</ref> A one-of-a-kind aircraft, the A340-8000, was originally built for Prince [[Jefri Bolkiah]], brother of the Sultan of [[Brunei]] [[Hassanal Bolkiah]]. The aircraft was unused and stored in [[Hamburg]] until it was procured by Prince [[Al-Waleed bin Talal]] of the [[House of Saud]],<ref>{{cite magazine |url= http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/picture-former-sultan-of-brunei39s-unique-a340-8000-derivative-destined-for-saudi-arabian-vip-212460/ |title=Picture: Former Sultan of Brunei's unique A340-8000 derivative destined for Saudi Arabian VIP after nine years storage |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160514002156/http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/picture-former-sultan-of-brunei39s-unique-a340-8000-derivative-destined-for-saudi-arabian-vip-212460/ |archive-date=14 May 2016 |magazine=Flight International |date=7 March 2007}}</ref> and later sold to Colonel [[Muammar Gaddafi]], then-[[President of Libya]]; the aircraft was operated by [[Afriqiyah Airways]] and was often referred to as ''Afriqiyah One''.<ref>Whyte, Alasdair. [http://www.corporatejetinvestor.com/articles/selling-a-vip-business-jet-to-muammar-gadafi/ "Selling a VIP business jet to Colonel Gaddafi."] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160416002634/http://www.corporatejetinvestor.com/articles/selling-a-vip-business-jet-to-muammar-gadafi/ |date=16 April 2016 }} ''corporatejetinvestor.com'', 16 August 2013.</ref>

In 2008, [[Price of petroleum|jet fuel prices]] doubled compared to the year before; consequently, the A340's fuel consumption led airlines to reduce flight stages exceeding 15 hours. [[Thai Airways International]] cancelled its 17-hour, nonstop [[Suvarnabhumi Airport|Bangkok]]–[[John F. Kennedy International Airport|New York/JFK]] route on 1 July 2008, and placed its four A340-500s for sale. While short flights stress aircraft more than long flights and result in more frequent fuel-thirsty take-offs and landings, ultra-long flights require completely filled fuel tanks to ensure an adequate fuel supply upon landing. The higher weights in turn require a greater proportion of an aircraft's [[fuel fraction]] just to take off and to stay airborne. In 2008, [[Air France-KLM]]'s chief executive {{ill|Pierre-Henri Gourgeon|fr|Pierre-Henri Gourgeon}} disparagingly referred to the A340 as a "flying tanker with a few people on board".<ref>Michaels, Daniel. [https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB121547453054734059 "Airlines Cut Long Flights To Save Fuel Costs."] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111228005521/http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121547453054734059.html |date=28 December 2011 }} ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'', 8 July 2008.</ref> While Thai Airways consistently filled 80% of the seats on its New York City–Bangkok flights, it estimated that, at 2008 fuel prices, it would need an impossible 120% of seats filled just to break even.<ref>Airlines curb Long Flights to Save on Fuel, ''The Wall Street Journal'', 8 July 2008, pp. B1-B2.</ref> Other airlines also re-examined long-haul flights. In August 2008, [[Cathay Pacific]] issued a declaration expressing concern over the adverse impact of escalating fuel expenses on its trans-Pacific long-haul routes, emphasizing a disproportionate burden on these particular flights. Consequently, the airline outlined its strategic decision to curtail the frequency of such flights and reallocate its fleet to cater to shorter routes, notably those connecting Hong Kong and Australia. The company's primary objective, as articulated by the airline's CEO Tony Tyler, entailed a comprehensive network restructuring aimed at optimizing operational efficiency by ensuring flights were directed to destinations that would yield cost coverage and financial gain simultaneously.<ref>{{cite news |title=Cathay Pacific To Cut Flights To Los Angeles |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB121850655478832111 |access-date=4 September 2023 |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |date=12 August 2008 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> ''Aviation Week'' noted that rapid performance increases of twin-engine aircraft has led to the detriment of four-engine types of comparable capacity such as the A340 and 747; at this point most 747s had accumulated significant flying hours before retirement in contrast to A340s which were relatively young when grounded.<ref name=AvWeek23Sep2013>Broderick, Sean. [http://aviationweek.com/awin/a340-operators-spend-interiors-engines "A340 Operators Spend On Interiors, Engines."] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160514001912/http://aviationweek.com/awin/a340-operators-spend-interiors-engines |date=14 May 2016 }} ''Aviation Week'', 23 September 2013. "...Technology, particularly in twinjet airframe and engine design, simply got better. And it doomed almost all quad jets—and certainly those battling twins of comparable capacity—in the process."</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-12-02/airbus-to-customers-your-200-million-plane-is-not-a-lemon|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203073243/http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-12-02/airbus-to-customers-your-200-million-plane-is-not-a-lemon|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 December 2013|title=Airbus's A340 Resale Value Guarantee Could Cost Billions – Businessweek|author=Carol Matlack|work=Businessweek.com|access-date=1 April 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.businessweek.com/printer/articles/171362-airbuss-guarantee-to-a340-buyers-could-cost-it-2-billion|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924150106/http://www.businessweek.com/printer/articles/171362-airbuss-guarantee-to-a340-buyers-could-cost-it-2-billion|url-status=dead|archive-date=24 September 2015|title=Airbus's A340 Resale Value Guarantee Could Cost Billions – Businessweek|author=Carol Matlack|work=Businessweek.com|access-date=1 April 2015}}</ref>

By 2014, Singapore Airlines had phased out the type, discontinuing [[Singapore Airlines Flight 21|SQ21 and SQ22]], which had been the longest non-stop scheduled flights in the world. [[Emirates Airlines]] decided to accelerate the retirement of its A340 fleet, writing down the value of the A340-500 type to zero despite the oldest −500 only being 10 years old, with president Tim Clark saying they were "designed in the late 1990s with fuel at $25–30. They fell over at $60 and at $120 they haven't got a hope in hell".<ref name="reedbusinessinformationlimited">{{cite web|first=Max|last=Kingsley-Jones|url=https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/emirates-begins-parting-out-its-a340-500s-390832/|title=Emirates begins parting out its A340-500s|work=Flightglobal|access-date=19 July 2016}}</ref>

[[File:Airbus A340-642, Etihad Airways AN1620901.jpg|thumb|Eight-abreast, 2-4-2 economy cabin]]
[[File:Airbus A340-300 of Aseman Airlines.jpg|alt=Airbus A340-300 taxiing in Istanbul Airport in 2024|thumb|Airbus A340-300 taxiing in Istanbul Airport in 2024]]
[[International Airlines Group]], the parent of [[Iberia Airlines]] (which is also the operator of the last production A340 built), is overhauling its A340-600s for continued service for the foreseeable future, while it is retiring its A340-300s. The IAG overhaul featured improved conditions and furnishings in the business and economy classes; the business-class capacity was raised slightly while not changing the type's overall operating cost. [[Lufthansa]], which operates both Airbus A340-300s and −600s, concluded that, while it is not possible to make the A340 more fuel efficient, it can respond to increased interest in business-class services by replacing first-class seats with more business-class seats to increase revenue.<ref name="reedbusinessinformationlimited"/><ref>Haria, Rupa. "Weight in Waiting." ''Aviation Week and Space Technology'', 14 April 2014. pp. 54–55.</ref>

In 2013, [[Snecma]] announced that they planned to use the A340 as a flying testbed for the development of a new [[Propfan|open rotor engine]]. This test aircraft is forecast to conduct its first flight in 2019.{{needs update|date=January 2025}} Open rotor engines are typically more fuel-efficient but noisier than conventional turbofan engines; introducing such an engine commercially has been reported as requiring significant legislative changes within engine approval authorities due to its differences from contemporary jet engines. The engine, partly based on the [[Snecma M88]] turbofan engine used on the [[Dassault Rafale]], is being developed under the European Clean Sky research initiative.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Gubisch |first=Michael |url= http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/snecma-to-flight-test-open-rotor-on-a340-in-2019-394504/ |title=Snecma to flight-test open rotor on A340 in 2019 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160514011148/http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/snecma-to-flight-test-open-rotor-on-a340-in-2019-394504/ |archive-date=14 May 2016 |magazine=Flight International |date=2 January 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last=Warwick |first=Graham |url= http://aviationweek.com/commercial-aviation/snecma-prepares-crucial-open-rotor-tests |title=Snecma Prepares For Crucial Open-rotor Tests |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160514001910/http://aviationweek.com/commercial-aviation/snecma-prepares-crucial-open-rotor-tests |archive-date=14 May 2016 |magazine=Aviation Week |date=19 June 2013}}</ref>

In January 2021, Lufthansa, which was the largest remaining operator by then, announced that their entire Airbus A340-600 fleet will be retired with immediate effect and not return to service in the wake of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>[https://www.aero.de/news-38351/Lufthansa-rechnet-mit-Erholung-im-Sommer.html aero.de] (German) 21 January 2021</ref> Ultimately, Lufthansa reactivated their A340-600s in the summer of 2022,<ref>{{cite web |title=Lufthansa strengthens its premium hub in Munich |url=https://newsroom.lufthansagroup.com/en/lufthansa-strengthens-its-premium-hub-in-munich/ |website=newsroom.lufthansagroup.com |publisher=[[Lufthansa]] |access-date=15 May 2024 |language=English |date=25 June 2021 }}</ref> while remaining committed to operating the smaller Airbus A340-300.<ref>{{cite web |author1=Dominik Sipinski |title=Lufthansa to reactivate A340-600s due to premium demand |url=https://www.ch-aviation.com/news/105123-lufthansa-to-reactivate-a340-600s-due-to-premium-demand |website=ch-aviation.com |publisher=Ch-Aviation |access-date=15 May 2024 |language=English |date=28 June 2021 }}</ref> Later in 2021, the Portuguese charter carrier [[Hi Fly (airline)|HiFly]] landed an A340 in Antarctica for the first time in history.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Spalding|first=Katie|date=26 November 2021|title=Airbus 340 Plane Lands In Antarctica For First Time In History|url=https://www.iflscience.com/editors-blog/airbus-340-plane-lands-in-antarctica-for-first-time-in-history/|url-status=live|access-date=1 December 2021|website=IFL Science|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211127172443/https://www.iflscience.com/editors-blog/airbus-340-plane-lands-in-antarctica-for-first-time-in-history/ |archive-date=27 November 2021}}</ref>

As of December 2021, the global A340 fleet had carried over 600 million passengers and completed more than 2.5 million flights over 20 million block hours since its entry into service with 99 percent operational reliability<ref name=A330_2021file>{{cite news |title=A340 Family: Versatility on long-range and ultra-long-range flights |url=https://www.airbus.com/en/who-we-are/our-history/commercial-aircraft-history/previous-generation-aircraft/a340-family |date= 16 January 2022 |publisher= Airbus }}</ref> and zero fatal accidents.<ref name="0fatal">{{Cite news|url=https://aviation-safety.net/database/dblist.php?sorteer=casualties,datekey&kind=%&cat=%&page=1&field=typecode&var=024%|title=ASN Aviation Safety Database - A340|work=[[Aviation Safety Network]]|date=11 July 2023|access-date=11 July 2023}}</ref>