In July 2013 Airbus has celebrated the delivery of the 1,000th A330. The aircraft, an A330-300 powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engines, was handed over to the Chinese airline Cathay Pacific Airways, from Hong Kong, during a special ceremony in Toulouse on 19 July. Cathay Pacific together with its sister airline Dragonair is the world’s largest operator of the A330, with a total of 56 now in service.
The 1,000th delivery comes as the A330 continues to sell well with airlines across the globe. Continuously enhanced to maintain its economic advantage it has over its competitors, the aircraft remains the most cost-efficient twin engine widebody in service today for both regional and long haul routes, with the latest versions capable of flying non-stop on sectors of up to 7,250 nautical miles / 13,420 km. The spacious cabin is a firm favourite with passengers, offering the best comfort in its category and the latest state-of-the-art in-flight entertainment systems and connectivity options.
“The A330 has played an integral part in Cathay Pacific’s growth and we look forward to continuing our successful partnership in the future,” said Ivan Chu, Chief Operating Officer, Cathay Pacific Airways. “The A330 is the backbone of our mid-size fleet and we are delighted with the reliability, flexibility and above all the economics of this great aircraft. We are very proud to be the recipient of the 1,000th A330.”
©H. Goussé/Airbus
“It is of particular importance for us to be celebrating this 1000th A330 delivery milestone with our long-standing partner Cathay Pacific Airways,” said John Leahy, Airbus’ now internationally famous Chief Operating Officer, considered to be one of the best salesmen in the world of aviation. “The A330 offers the lowest operating costs of any aircraft in its category in service today and is unmatched even by the latest competing aircraft. The fact that a world-leading airline such as Cathay Pacific Airways has placed so many repeat orders says it all.”
Since its first delivery of the A330 in 1995, Cathay Pacific’s Airbus fleet now comprises 38 A330-300s and 11 A340s, while Dragonair flies 21 single aisle A320 Family aircraft and 18 A330-300s. The Cathay Pacific Group has outstanding orders for 10 more A330-300s. The airline will also take delivery of 48 all-new A350 XWBs in the future, including 46 ordered from Airbus and two leased aircraft.
The wide market appeal of the A330 Family is demonstrated daily by over 100 operators, including network carriers, low cost, charter and flag carriers, who fly A330s on all missions from 30 minutes to over 14 hours. About 1.2 billion passengers have enjoyed travelling on board the light, bright and spacious A330 cabin to and from the 300 airports it serves today. More than 1,250 A330s have been ordered to date. Moreover, a new market has opened for the A330 in the form of its military variant, the A330 MRTT; a derivative transport-tanker based on the A330-200 airframe today in use in Australia, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and the UK with France soon to follow.
