Lufthansa’s Airbus A340-300 Fleet: Every part You Want To Know

Whereas the four-engine Airbus A340 is turning into an more and more uncommon sight within the skies and on the world’s airports, Lufthansa stays a pretty big operator of the kind. Certainly, each the A340-300 and -600 variants serve the German flag service, though they’re amongst its oldest plane. Right here’s a information to its A340-300 fleet.

Some can seat 300 passengers

Based on ch-aviation.com, Lufthansa‘s A340-300s have two totally different configurations, with the highest-capacity structure having area for 300 seats. This higher-density setup strongly focuses on financial system class, with 87% of its total seating capability devoted to accommodating these paying the bottom fares.

This part of the cabin incorporates a whole of 261 seats, that are primarily laid out eight-abreast in a 2-4-2 configuration. Nevertheless, because the plane’s fuselage narrows in the direction of the airplane’s rear, this reduces to seven-abreast (2-3-2). Every of those seats incorporates a seatback leisure display screen, and their pitch is 32 inches.

Shifting ahead within the cabin, 7% of the plane’s seats could be discovered within the three-row, 21-seat premium financial system part. These seven-abreast recliners provide a extra spacious expertise, with a 38/39-inch pitch. Lastly, the plane’s 18 most luxurious seats are its three six-abreast rows of enterprise class flatbeds. One destructive side is that the window seats on this 2-2-2 cabin don’t characteristic direct aisle entry.

The A340-300’s 300-seat configuration favors high-demand, leisure-heavy routes. Picture: Getty Photographs

Decrease-density layouts

On some long-haul routes, Lufthansa will want a higher proportion of premium seating than others. For that reason, its second A340-300 seating configuration options bigger premium financial system and enterprise class cabins. Seating 279 folks in whole, a decrease proportion of 79% (221 seats) of the cabin is devoted to financial system.

In the meantime, the plane’s premium financial system cabin on this configuration is a 3rd bigger, with an additional row of seating bringing its capability to twenty-eight folks. This accounts for round 10% of the plane’s whole capability on this setup.

As for enterprise class, the lower-density structure’s enterprise class cabin is 2 thirds bigger, comprising 30 enterprise class flatbeds throughout 5 rows of six-abreast seating. Nonetheless, it’s nonetheless one in all Lufthansa’s smallest widebody enterprise class cabins, with its Airbus A330-300, A340-600, A350-900, A380-800, Boeing 747-400, and 747-8 fashions all having the identical or extra seats.

Regardless of their age, most of Lufthansa’s A340-300s had been lively on the time of writing. Picture:
BriYYZ by way of Flickr

Most are lively as we speak

With air journey now managing to maintain one thing of a post-pandemic restoration, Lufthansa’s fleet is presently seeing in depth utilization. Certainly, ch-aviation lists simply 16.5% (51 of 309 plane) as being inactive. On the subject of the A340-300, that is seeing an excellent greater utilization fee, with simply two of 17 examples in upkeep. Of those 17 quadjets, 9 characteristic the lower-density 279-seat configuration.

In the meantime, the opposite eight have area onboard for a complete of 300 passengers. These plane are 22.9 years outdated on common, which makes them Lufthansa’s most senior widebodies. Nevertheless, they aren’t its oldest plane sort total. Certainly, this title falls to its 20 A321-100s, that are 27.1 years outdated on common. Traditionally talking, the German flag service has flown 21 extra A340-300s.

What do you make of Lufthansa’s Airbus A340-300 fleet? Have you ever ever flown on one in all these quadjets? Tell us your ideas and experiences within the feedback!