The A330 has been Airbus' best-selling widebody, racking up more than 1,700
orders from airlines globally. With the second-generation A330neos now in service,
today’s video will take a look at how it compares to the original A330s
and why it has garnered far fewer orders than competing widebodies.
In June 1987, just four months after the Airbus A320 made its maiden flight,
Airbus announced ambitious plans to launch a medium-to-long-range twinjet known as the A330.
There would also be a longer-range Airbus A340, a four-engined aircraft, developed in parallel.
At the time, the Airbus A330-300 was expected to carry 335 passengers in
two classes, with the A330-200 coming later.
However, Airbus' development timing meant the A330 never got the spotlight it deserved.
As the A340 became the main focus, Boeing leapfrogged the market with the 777:
Another twinjet that carried more passengers efficiently.
While the A330 carried fewer passengers,
making it ideal for most medium-haul routes, it required a longer-range variant.
Airbus would then go on to create a smaller and lighter A330,
dubbed the A330-200. This aircraft would have the advantage of a better range (perfect for
airlines located in the Pacific, such as Cathay Pacific or Singapore) but at the
cost of fewer passengers. The first A330-200 would take flight in 1997.
The rest, as they say, is history. The A330 program became a runaway hit for
Airbus as airlines switched to more efficient operations, and new rules
allowed for long-haul flights on two-engined planes. Fast-forward nearly two decades,
and Airbus made its first big upgrade to the A330 family.
With the Boeing 787 heading into the market and Airbus working hard on the A350,
the planemaker also took a look at re-engining the A330 in the form of the A330neo,
the successor to the original jet and a competitor to the successful 787.
In 2014, Airbus launched the A330neo family, comprised of the A330-900 and the A330-800.
The biggest change in the plane, as has become common to the neo versions,
was the new Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engine. Building off of years of advancements,
Airbus turned to engine manufacturers for a more fuel-efficient engine to
give the A330neos attractive economics that would open it up to more markets.
However, these aircraft have not been very popular or as popular as the old Airbus A330 family.
In fact, Airbus has only sold a poor 11 of the longer-range A330-800s,
making it one of Airbus' rarest aircraft.
Two orders have come from Uganda Airlines, four to Garuda Indonesia,
4 to Kuwait Airways, and one to Air Greenland. Eight planes have been delivered to date,
while the aircraft ordered by Garuda Indonesia seem to be uncertain.
By comparison, the A330-900 has found much more success in the
market. Airbus currently lists well over 250 orders for the larger A330neo version,
with Delta Air Lines topping the list with orders for 36 aircraft.
This is followed by Cebu Pacific (with 16),
and lessors such as ALC ordering 28 and CIT ordering 25.
With a high capacity and a sufficiently long range,
the A330neo has found success among all types of airlines:
All the way from low-cost, long-haul carriers to full-service airlines with premium markets.
It’s also interesting to note that many airlines who have operated the A330-200
have NOT updated their fleets with the -800. This has been a bit of a mystery,
considering the near identical nature of their operational profiles.
Instead, many airlines that had A330-200s have opted to just order A330-900s instead. This
includes carriers like Malaysia Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, and Delta Air Lines.
Air Greeland essentially had no choice but to modernize with the A330-800, as this shorter
variant can access more airports due to its ability to takeoff and land at shorter runways.
However, the pandemic has taken a toll on the A330neo,
with carriers like AirAsia X cutting their orders by the dozen. For now,
the future looks tough for the A330neo, with no big orders in the mix.
In this video, Simple Flying will focus on the Airbus A330 passenger family. This
includes the A330-200, A330-300, A330-800, and A330-900. Other A330 variants do exist,
such as the A330-200 freighter, the A330 passenger-to-freighter
conversion, the private business version - the ACJ-330neo, and the A330MRTT for military use.
But moving along, here are, for example, let’s examine a few basic points of comparison:
When it comes to capacity,
The A330-200 has Maximum seating of 406, with a three-class capacity of between 210 and 250
The A330-300 has Maximum seating of 440, and a three-class capacity of between 250 and 290
The A330-800 has Maximum seating of 406, with a three-class capacity of between 220 and 260
And the A330-900 has Maximum seating of 440, with a three-class capacity of between 260 and 300
As might be apparent, the A330-800 is the next-generation successor to the A330-200, while
the A330-900 is the successor to the A330-300. Capacities have been elevated with the newer
variants. This is likely made possible by some intelligent engineering, which
allows for more passenger seating while having the same appropriate emergency exit access.
When it comes to range, the Airbus A330-200, on paper, can fly 13,450 km/7,250 NM
The Airbus A330-300’s range is 11,750 km/6,350 NM
The Airbus A330-800 can fly 15,094 km/8,150 NM
And the Airbus A330-900 has a range of 13,334 km/7,200 NM
The first effect of the new Rolls-Royce Trent 7000s can
be seen in the range figures for the aircraft. Without sacrificing capacity,
the A330neo adds nearly 1,000 NM to both variants at the top end.
Range, however, also depends on the airline. A dense passenger configuration flying more
people means an aircraft will have difficulty getting to the maximum edge of its range.
A less dense configuration means a lighter aircraft with fewer passengers,
and seats.. This means an aircraft can fly a little further than a densely-configured A330.
Speaking of engines, while the A330ceos had multiple engine options in the form of
powerplants from General Electric, Pratt & Whitney, or Rolls-Royce,
its updated neo variants are exclusively tied to the Rolls-Royce Trent 7000s. This COULD
be a factor affected aircraft sales- but it’s something we’ll discuss later on in the video.
When it comes to Dimensions, the A330-200’s maximum cabin width and length are identical
to the -800. Aircraft height is also similar. However, the -800’s wingspan is about six meters
more. It’s a similar story between the -300 and its updated equivalent, the -900: The jets have
identical heights, cabin widths, and cabin lengths - while the newer jet has a greater wingspan.
The A330neo jets are essentially the same size as their predecessors. This has its
own benefits. Airports do not need to be upgraded;
airlines already know how to work with the aircraft's size in hangars, etc.
The operational efficiency of the original A330 family makes the A330neo a strong sell
for the replacement for the A330-200 and A330-300.
The A330neo versions are designed to improve fuel efficiency, improve passenger comfort,
and carry more passengers further. However, the A330 has been far more
successful, seeing over 1,400 orders compared to just over 330 A330neos.
So why is this?
Well, the first reason can be the age of the original A330s. Most
airlines haven't hit the two-decade mark with their original aircraft,
making the discussion of fleet renewal moot. Indeed, the last A330ceo was only
delivered in May 2020, meaning these planes have years to go before being retired.
However, market pressure cannot be ignored either. The A330neo came nearly
a decade after Boeing announced the 787, an aircraft that has a similar range profile.
With the 787 being a runaway hit, most airlines have their medium- and
long-haul markets covered by this jet, leaving little room for the A330neo.
As we mentioned earlier - Airbus’ decision to link its A330neos exclusively to Rolls-Royce
powerplants may repel airlines from picking up the jet. Indeed,
some airlines around the world are fairly loyal to a certain engine manufacturer.
For example, Korean Air’s aircraft are overwhelmingly Pratt & Whitney. The
airline’s A380s are powered by Engine Alliance engines, which come from a
joint venture between General Electric and Pratt and Whitney. Meanwhile, the carrier’s
787s are powered by General Electric. Thus, including a Rolls-Royce-powered aircraft in
its fleet would equate to further operational complexity that it might prefer to avoid.
But hope is not lost for the Airbus widebody. With Boeing's rumored NMA (new midsize aircraft) still
years away, airlines may have to opt for the A330neo to renew their existing fleets. The jet
has seen positive reviews from airline clients, too, making a case for more orders in the future.
Which is your favorite A330 variant? And why do
you think the Airbus A330-800 has been such a poor selling aircraft?
Let us know your thoughts and opinions by leaving a comment below.