Singapore Airlines takes Delivery of First A330

Singapore Airlines last week added a new Airbus type to its fleet with the delivery of its first A330-300. Acquired under a lease agreement with Dublin-based AWAS, the aircraft was handed over to the airline at a ceremony in Toulouse.

Powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engines, the A330 fleet will be operated by the carrier on regional and medium haul routes, initially linking Singapore with destinations in Australia and Japan. The airline is configuring its A330s in a high comfort layout seating 285 passengers in two classes, with accommodation for 30 in Business Class and 255 in Economy.

The A330 joins an existing Airbus fleet at Singapore Airlines that includes the double deck A380 and the ultra-long haul A340-500. The carrier has also selected the all-new A350 to help meet future requirements in the mid-size widebody category, with the delivery of 20 aircraft on firm order due to begin in 2013. The airline also operates different Boeing aircraft.

"The delivery of the A330s continues the ongoing process of renewal of our fleet," said Mak Swee Wah, Executive Vice President Operations and Services, Singapore Airlines. "These aircraft also help fill capacity gaps in the regional and medium haul fleet prior to the delivery of the next generation of wide-body airplanes, such as the A350, in future years."

Frank Pray, President & Chief Executive Officer at AWAS added, "This is the first of six A330 aircraft that AWAS will deliver to Singapore Airlines over the next year. This significant delivery marks the beginning of our goal to further diversify our aircraft portfolio and broaden the appeal to our airline customers. We are delighted to add Singapore Airlines, a premium global carrier, to our list of valued customers."

The twin engine A330 is one of the most widely used widebody aircraft in service today. To date, Airbus has won more than 1,000 orders for the various versions of the aircraft. More than 550 A330s have already been delivered and the aircraft is currently flying with over 70 airlines worldwide.

See other recent news regarding: Travel News Asia, Airbus, A330, Singapore Airlines, Rolls-Royce, AWAS, Dublin, Singapore