Iberia ditches the A340

Known in the airline industry as the ‘gas guzzler’ Iberia is well on its way to ditching its fleet of four-engined A340 aircraft replaced by the Airbus A350 XWB.  

The Spanish airline, part of IAG, has confirmed an order for eight of the soon to be certificated aircraft.

Passengers on the new plane will notice a one foot increase in cabin width and the innovative interior.  What is not obvious is that the A350 is the first Airbus with both fuselage and wing structures made primarily of carbon-fibre reinforced polymer.  It is said to be around 25% more efficient than the aircraft it replaces.

Iberia will take delivery of the aircraft between 2015 and 2020.  “The announcement confirms that the restructuring now under way is beginning to bear fruit, and is enabling us to continue to invest in Iberia’s future,” said Luis Gallego, CEO of Iberia.

One of the A350 development aircraft is currently on a world tour come proving flight (see BTN 24 July).  Total orders stand at 736.  The aircraft is only available with a XWB variant of the Rolls-Royce Trent engine.  www.iberia.com   www.airbus.com

Index/Home page
 

OUR READERS' FINEST WORDS (All times and dates are GMT)

All comments are filtered to exclude any excesses but the Editor does not have to agree with what is being said. 100 words maximum