Airbus A330 Family

THE WORLD LEADER

The A330 Family has five members – the A330-200, A330-300, A330-200F, A330 Prestige and A330 MRTT – which cover all market segments with one twin-engine aircraft type. The combination of low operating costs, high efficiency, flexibility and optimised performance makes the A330 Family popular with an ever-increasing operator base. Continuous improvement brings the latest technology onboard the A330. 

Commonality is further shared across the Airbus product line of widebody and single-aisle aircraft through the use of fly-by-wire controls and cockpits with similar layouts.

MARKET COVERAGE

The versatile A330 Family is a multi-talented aircraft product line that covers all market segments from commercial passenger and freight transportation to VVIP and military roles.  It has become the preferred aircraft for nearly 90 operators, including major airlines and flag carriers, charter and leisure airlines, the new segment of long-haul low-cost carriers, along with governments and in VVIP service.  Some 20 A330 airlines fly both the A330-200 and A330-300 versions, while more than 50 A320 Family operators also have chosen the A330 – benefitting from the Airbus family concept.

TWO PASSENGER VERSIONS

A330s are utilised in a full range of conditions – polar and desert conditions, in the North, South, East, West, everywhere. 

The A330-300 is the world’s lowest operating cost-per-seat twin-engined aircraft, designed without compromise to do what twins do best. It carries 300 passengers on routes of up to 6,000 nautical miles with outstanding economics.  

The shorter-fuselage A330-200 sets standards in the 250-seat, long-range category. It has the flexibility and economics to operate efficiently on diverse networks with sectors of up to 7,230 nautical miles.

A330-200

The shortest fuselage member of the A330 series provides airlines with excellent range and cargo capacity.

EXCEPTIONAL FLEXIBILITY

The A330-200 is the shorter-fuselage variant of Airbus’ A330 twin-engine widebody family, and has the versatility to cover all ranges from short-haul to true long-haul, with ideal sizing for point-to-point operations. 

Its optimised 222-inch fuselage cross-section – which is shared with the other members of Airbus’ A330/A340 Family – accommodates 253 passengers in a comfortable two-class cabin layout that provides more window and aisle seats in much quieter cabins.  As a modern jetliner, the A330-200 accepts the latest in-flight entertainment, including video-on-demand, mobile telephone and e-mail via satellite.

Another advantage of the A330-200’s fuselage is its large-capacity underfloor cargo holds, which accommodate industry-standard LD3 containers in side-by-side loading, as well as 96-inch pallets.

The A330-200 is well established with major carriers around the world, and has become a preferred aircraft for charter and leisure operators, as well as the growing low-cost long-haul market segment.  With Airbus commonality in cockpit and cabin systems, an increasing number of airlines that fly the single-aisle A320 Family are discovering the advantages of stepping up to the widebody A330-200 for higher-capacity, longer-range service. 

UPGRADES AND IMPROVEMENTS

Airbus’ continuous investment in the A330 Family benefits the A330-200 version by lowering costs and improving operations. This includes system upgrades and improvements, the introduction of advanced navigation aids and new-generation flight instrumentation, and engine upgrades.  Updated passenger cabin features developed for the A330 include state-of-the-art LED lighting, smoother contours with softened lines and new interior styling – all of which provide a lighter, brighter and more spacious interior.

A higher takeoff weight capability of 238 tonnes has been developed by Airbus for the A330-200 with no increase in the aircraft’s empty weight – giving it an endurance of 7,250 nautical miles or an additional 3.4 tonnes of payload.

LONG-RANGE CREW ACCOMMODATIONS

For long-distance operations, the A330-200 can be fitted with innovative crew rest areas. A secure rest facility for pilots with one or two bunks is designed to be located next to the cockpit for easy, rapid access.  A mobile rest area for cabin crews can be installed in the aircraft’s lower-deck aft cargo hold and accessed by a stair from the main cabin – thereby eliminating any impact on passenger seating.  Based on a 96 X 125-inch pallet, this cabin crew facility can have up to seven bunks and be removed in 50 minutes for shorter flight operations not requiring crew rest accommodations.

A330-300

The A330-300 brings Airbus widebody efficiency to airline operations on longer-haul routes.

RANGE AND COMFORT

The stretched-fuselage A330-300 matches twin-engine efficiency with increased passenger capacity – all while retaining the A330 Family’s highly comfortable, low noise cabin and operating commonality with the entire Airbus fly-by-wire product line.  This jetliner has a range of up to 5,450 nautical miles while carrying 300 passengers in a typical two-cabin arrangement, seating 36 in first or business class at a 60-inch seat pitch, and 264 in coach at 32-inch pitch.

Its designed-in flexibility allows airlines to integrate Airbus’ innovative crew rest facilities without giving up revenue passenger seats.  A secure flight crew location next to the cockpit accommodates one or two bunks, while a pallet-mounted rest area with up to seven bunks for cabin personnel is designed for loading under the main deck, with accessibility via a stair in the centre-left passenger cabin.

FAMILY TRAITS

As a member of the popular A330 Family, the A330-300 benefits from demonstrated reliability, performance and unbeatable operating costs in service to more than 250 airports worldwide, logging 15 million-plus flight hours and more than 3.6 million flight cycles with over 80 carriers. 

Many also profit from Airbus commonality: some 20 A330 customers utilise both A330-300s and the shorter-fuselage A330-200; while pilots with approximately 30 carriers practice mixed-fleet flying by using A330-300/200 jetliners along with four-engine A340s, or A330s alongside single-aisle A320 Family aircraft.

The A330-300 incorporates Airbus’ latest technology, which includes its digital fly-by-wire flight controls, a high-efficiency wing, and more than 10 tonnes of lightweight composite structures in its airframe. A lighter, brighter and more spacious cabin results from updated features that include smoother contours, new interior styling, state-of-the-art LED lighting and newly-designed air conditioning units.  Also available is appealing mood lighting and a choice of overhead storage options with optimised bin designs.

EXTRA CARGO REVENUE

Airbus’ 222-inch fuselage cross-section provides unmatched comfort on the main deck, while also offering large underfloor holds that open up opportunities for extra revenue from cargo.  These holds accept industry-standard LD3 containers in side-by-loading, facilitating cargo processing and interlining.  In a typical arrangement, six 96-inch pallets or 18 LD3 containers can be accommodated in forward zone; while its aft cargo hold can handle such loads as 12 LD3 containers along with one 96-inch pallet, plus bulk cargo.

Continuous improvement applied by Airbus to its jetliner product line results in lower costs and better operations for the A330-300.  This ranges from weight reductions, introduction of modern cabins, and system improvements to engine upgrades and advanced navigation systems in the cockpit.  They also result in longer maintenance check intervals.

GREENER, CLEANER & QUIETER

Caring for the environment, the A330 Family environmental footprint is better than the standards of today and tomorrow.  With its low noise and emissions levels, A330s fly greener and quieter –supported by Airbus’ long-term commitment to further enhancing the eco-efficiency of its jetliner product line.