South African Airways (SAA) celebrated its first of nine new Airbus A340-600s marking the commencement of a 41 aircraft, 10-year total fleet modernization programme.
When it puts the A340-600 into service later this month, SAA will become the first airline in the southern Hemisphere and in Africa to operate the ultra-long range, high capacity aircraft. SAA will operate the A340-600s on routes from Johannesburg to Frankfurt and Hong-Kong.
The largest member of Airbus’ market leading A330/A340 Family, the A340-600 provides operators with unrivalled standards of space, comfort and amenity in each cabin class. SAA has chosen a very spacious layout, seating 48 passengers in a luxurious Premium Business Class and 291 in Economy.
“The arrival of the first A340-600 marks a new step in our partnership with Airbus and Rolls-Royce and enables us to further benefit from the Airbus aircraft’s operational commonality,” said SAA CEO, André Viljoen. “The introduction of the A340-600 will enable us to open up new long-haul trans-Oceanic routes while offering our passengers the highest levels of comfort. For SAA, four engines is the best solution for ultra-long haul flights, especially if they involve flights over desolate terrain or oceans. At the same time, the additional cargo deck space on the A340-600 means we can almost double our cargo uplift compared with what is possible on the 747s”.
“The fact that a visionary and prestigious airline like South African Airways amongst the first airlines in the world to operate the A340-600, once again endorses the success of the A340-500/-600 programme and illustrates the benefits which can be achieved through the application of proven modern technology and commonality in aircraft design and operations,” said Airbus Chief Executive Officer Noël Forgeard.
Powered by four Rolls-Royce Trent 500 engines, the A340-600 offers total freedom of flight, unrestricted by ETOPS regulations. This allows airlines to fly more direct routes, saving travel time, cutting fuel consumption and reducing costs.
SAA has also ordered the smaller A340-300Enhanced, becoming the launch customer for this new type of which it will receive six commencing in 2004. It has also placed orders for 15 single-aisle A319 and 11 A320 twin-engined aircraft for use on mainline domestic and regional routes within Africa. These will be delivered between 2005 and 2010.
This entirely new fleet will enable SAA to fully exploit the unique common design concept pioneered by Airbus. Sharing the same cockpit layout, operational procedures and handling characteristics, the aircraft can be operated by SAA as a single fleet, with pilots qualified to fly all of four types on a regular basis after only a few days difference training.
By: Bhoy - 27th January 2003 at 23:46
RE: SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS CELEBRATES FIRST A340-600
sod that.
for all that the 752 has a narrower cabin compared to the 320 family, I’d rather sit in a 752 any day and let those RB211’s rip. *drools at thought*
nonetheless, given the choice of the 320 or a 73, the narrow cabin loses out.
Whether or not the GE90 will create the same amount of thrust per mass as the BR211-535 is debatable… can’t quite see it, as it’d be madness to equip a plane with so much redundant thrust now that acccountants are running the airline business.
By: wysiwyg - 27th January 2003 at 23:36
RE: SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS CELEBRATES FIRST A340-600
Performance wise, I don’t think you can get further apart than the A340-300 and the B757-200. The RB211 must be THE greatest aero engine of all time (maybe a mantle soon to be taken by the GE90).
By: Bhoy - 27th January 2003 at 23:33
RE: SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS CELEBRATES FIRST A340-600
yeah, gotta love a Roller powered plane, eh? 😉
By: mongu - 27th January 2003 at 23:26
RE: SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS CELEBRATES FIRST A340-600
That’s exactly what they do have on the 345 and 346 though 🙂
By: Bhoy - 27th January 2003 at 23:24
RE: SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS CELEBRATES FIRST A340-600
the 343 must be the most underpowered widebody for it’s size…
Wys, you talk about the excess thrust you have on the 752… bet you wish you had some of it on the 343…
By: wysiwyg - 27th January 2003 at 23:13
RE: SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS CELEBRATES FIRST A340-600
About a year before I left Virgin they started a policy of explaining to passengers on the PA that the ground roll would be unusually long when departing JNB. In fact the reason the Virgin flight spends so long on the ground at JNB is to wait for the evening when the temperature will be cooler and the aircraft will perform better.
Jay – Having worked as a flying instructor for 2 years I joined my first airline (Virgin) in 1990 and stayed there for 9 years.
By: Selsport69 - 27th January 2003 at 19:40
RE: SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS CELEBRATES FIRST A340-600
wysiwyg, I know what you are on about. Air France fly the A340-300 to JHB. It does seem to take the whole runway to lift off even longer than the 747-400. I was sitting there thinking was this thing going to leave the ground.
By: Jay330 - 27th January 2003 at 16:28
RE: SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS CELEBRATES FIRST A340-600
WSIWYG, what year did you start working in the airline industry ???
By: Bhoy - 27th January 2003 at 16:05
RE: SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS CELEBRATES FIRST A340-600
By: KabirT - 27th January 2003 at 15:24
RE: SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS CELEBRATES FIRST A340-600
Good news..it will look great in the SAA c/s.
By: wysiwyg - 27th January 2003 at 12:33
RE: SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS CELEBRATES FIRST A340-600
Yes I operated on it as cabin crew. B747 100, 200 & 400 as well. We would sit in our junpseats on the take off roll at JNB and time how many seconds it took to rotate in the rhin air. I seem to remember occasionally taking 75 seconds! Sit down and count to 75, it’s a long long time.
By: EGNM - 26th January 2003 at 22:22
RE: SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS CELEBRATES FIRST A340-600
did u actually fly the 240 or was it during your time as cabin crew?
By: A330Crazy - 26th January 2003 at 21:51
RE: SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS CELEBRATES FIRST A340-600
Great news. The SAA c/s will ook great on this aircraft, got any pics of it?
Wys, man you have got around on flying different aircraft. The saab 340,757 and now you tell us that you have flown the 340. Flown any other besides these?
By: wysiwyg - 26th January 2003 at 21:26
RE: SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS CELEBRATES FIRST A340-600
I have operated the original A340-300 out of JNB and the performance at high temperatures and 6000′ elevation was desperate. I hope the ‘enhanced’ 300 gives suitable improvement.
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January 26, 2003 at 7:36 pm
