TUI Travel PLC, has become a new direct customer for Airbus, with an order for two A330-300 aircraft. The European travel group has ordered these aircraft for its French airline subsidiary, Corsairfly. The two wide-bodied A330-300s are the latest 235 tonne maximum take-off weight variants and will be operated on the airline’s popular long-haul routes from Paris across the Atlantic to the French Caribbean islands and North America, in addition to Indian Ocean destinations.  

The aircraft will be configured in two classes with a total of 362 seats.

“We are delighted with this decision by TUI Travel to buy Airbus A330 aircraft, says Pascal de Izaguirre, Managing Director, Corsairfly.  “We already experience excellent performance from the A330-200s we currently operate and these new aircraft with a track record of spectacular efficiency, reliability and low operating costs will allow us to perfectly match our new strategy. Moreover, aircraft commonality, unique to Airbus, will allow us to meet our restructuring programme target,” he added.

“The A330-300 is not only the most efficient aircraft in its class with lowest fuel consumption in service today, it is also the aircraft which best fulfils airline’s needs in terms of range and capacity,” said John Leahy, Airbus COO Customers. “TUI travel’s decision to acquire our mid-size long-haul star is further proof that the A330 delivers exactly what the market needs.”

With a true wide-body fuselage allowing very high comfort standards, the A330-300 is able to accommodate seat and class configurations to suit diverse customer requirements. It has a range of up to 5,600 nm / 10,400 km with a typical 300 passenger load. Highly efficient and optimised for the medium – to long range market, the A330-300 offers the best balance between range and cost. The A330-300 remains the most economic means of flying 300 or so passengers on medium range routes in true long haul comfort. Orders for the aircraft stand at more than 480.

The A330 Family, which spans 200 to 400 seats for the passenger variants, also includes Freighter, VIP, and Military Transport/Tanker variants, has now attracted more than 1,100 orders.

This new order brings the number of Airbus customers to 324. 

Source: Airbus
Photo: rob Vogelaar, ZAPP