New A340-600

Sounds good !!! :9

From the Airbus web site.

FIRST A340-600 ENTERS COMMERCIAL SERVICE WITH VIRGIN ATLANTIC Airbus’ largest aircraft, the A340-600, entered into service with Virgin Atlantic Airways on 2nd August, flying from Virgin’s home base London-Heathrow to New York-JFK.
The aircraft, named Claudia Nine, was presented to Virgin at a ceremony during the Farnborough Air Show and is the first of four, which the carrier will receive this year to serve routes to the US, South Africa and Asia. A further six A340-600s will enter service with the airline by 2006.

Airbus’ A340-600 was especially designed for high capacity long-haul
operations and can carry some 380 passengers over a range of up to
13,900km/7,500nm. The A340-600 features a breathtaking new cabin design with
expanded on-board services and sleek, harmonious lines that further enhance the A340s inherent qualities of spaciousness and quietness – a key element of passenger comfort in long-haul air travel.

Passengers on the inaugural flight noticed a number of innovative
amenities such as a redesigned bar and in-flight beauty therapy area in Upper Class, and new seats for both Premium Economy and Economy passengers.
Virgin‘s A340-600 seats 311 passengers – 50 in Upper Class, 28 Premium Economy and 233 Economy.

The new seats offer passengers the largest individual screens in Business class at 10.4 inches/26.4 cm and in Economy at 9 inches/15 cm, on which 300 hours of video on demand and 15 computer games, including multi-player games will be screened. Other features on Virgin’s aircraft include a redesigned toilet and a unique mood lighting system throughout the aircraft.

The A340-600, like the ultra-long range A340-500, is powered by four high bypass ratio Rolls-Royce Trent 500 engines that burn up to 20 per cent less fuel than older generation jets while providing the aircraft with an outstanding performance not attainable by competing aircraft.

It also complies fully with the latest stringent QC2 noise quota limits at London’s Heathrow Airport and offer total freedom of flight, unrestricted by ETOPS (the rules governing the operation of twin-engine aircraft on very long flights). In addition, the A340-600 offers twice as much cargo capacity as today’s jumbo-jets, allowing airlines to benefit from more revenue generating cargo operations.

This year will also see the first A340-600 deliveries to ILFC for Cathay
Pacific, and to South African Airways.