Article from BTNews 11 JULY 2016
First wide-body for Tibet Air
Lhasa-based Tibet Airlines has received its first wide-body aircraft, an A330-200 with increased 242-tonne maximum take-off-weight (MTOW), following a handover in Toulouse.
Airbus said the increased MTOW allowed airlines to operate from the most demanding high-altitude airports where take-off performance, additional range and improved operating costs are key.
Tibet Airlines’ aircraft has a three-class cabin layout with 12 seats in Business Class, 32 in Premium Economy and 235 in Economy, and is expected to be deployed to open up new international routes.
Airline president Bai Weisan said: “We are extremely excited to receive our first wide-body airliner – an enhanced A330 from Airbus – and are very confident of its high-altitude performance.
He said the A330 family would become the carrier’s core wide-body to be deployed on the new international routes “thanks to its flexibility, comfort and efficiency”.
Tibet Airlines operates an all-Airbus fleet of 14 A319s and two A320s. The company, with its operating base at Lhasa Airport at more than 3,500m above sea level, is noted for its high-altitude operations.
Founded in 2010, the airline received its first aircraft, an Airbus A319, on 2 July 2011 and began commercial operations 24 days later. It hopes to start flying to Europe later this year.
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