TAP Portugal has taken delivery of its first own A330-200. The aircraft powered, by General Electric CF6-80 engines was handed over to the Chief Executive Officer of TAP, Fernando Pinto, in a ceremony held in Toulouse.
The aircraft will seat 268 passengers in a two-class configuration, and will join TAP’s fleet of seven A330-200s currently in operation.
Earlier today, TAP signed a firm contract for the purchase of 12 A350XWBs plus three options. This brings the total number of aircraft to be delivered to TAP to 17 (including today’s delivery). The airline is currently operating 51 Airbus aircraft and is Airbus‘ largest customer in Portugal.
„This first new A330 is a further step in the continuous, fast and healthy development of our airline, with the A330 being a corner stone of our success. With this new aircraft, we will be able to further strengthen our long haul network and provide our passengers with an optimal travel comfort,“ said Fernando Pinto. „While benefiting from the aircraft’s unique operational costs savings, there is an additional advantage of the commonality with the A340s and A330s we already have in our fleet, allowing for a reduction in training and maintenance costs.“
„We are delighted with the partnership we enjoyed over the years with TAP Portugal. TAP is showing a healthy and consistent growth and we are proud of their choice for the A330 to further develop their long haul operations. This reflects again the advantages that the A330 offers in terms of route efficiency and passenger comfort. With the new order for 12 A350XWBs for the longer term fleet planning, the A330 fleet will be able to provide the most cost efficient solution for the upcoming years“, said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer Customers.
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.
Photo: Airbus S.A.S. 2005 ©
