KLM Royal Dutch Airlnes has signed a contract for the acquisition of two further A330-200s plus an option on two, herewith bringing their total A330 fleet to 12 aircraft. This acquisition is part of the longer term fleet renewal and expansion plans of KLM.
The A330s, powered by CF6-80E(1A3) engines, will mainly serve on intercontinental and will have a two-class configuration with 251 seats.
„With the excellent record of the A330 in terms of economics and efficiency, this order for two additional A330 aircraft was a natural choice. These aircraft perfectly fulfil our expectations in terms of passenger comfort and optimised operational costs, and are an excellent investment to further strengthen our market position,“ Peter Hartman, president & CEO of KLM, explained.
John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer – Customers, added: „We greatly value our partnership with KLM, and are happy to strengthen it further while accompanying the airline in its fleet renewal and growth strategy. The eco-efficient A330 is offering great performances in terms of route efficiency and passenger comfort and will assist KLM in accommodating growth with CO2 efficient operations“.
With a true wide-body fuselage allowing very high comfort standards, the A330-200 is able to accommodate seat and class configurations to suit the diverse customer requirements. It has a range of up to 6,750 nm / 12,500 km with a full passenger load. Its large under-floor cargo holds can also carry standard pallets and containers side-by-side. It also has the excellent operational flexibility necessary to serve a wide range of route structures, providing operators with very low operating cost per seat. Its proven record of economy and superior passenger comfort provides operators with a significant competitive advantage in the market today.
Over 1,450 A330/A340/A350 Family aircraft have been ordered to date by over 90 customers.
Photo: Airbus S.A.S. 2005 ©
