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Airbus A340 Family

The Airbus A340 is a four-engine long-range wide-body family developed alongside the A330, providing long overwater and ultra-long-range capability before modern twin-engine wide-bodies dominated the market.

01

Overview

The Airbus A340 is a four-engine long-range wide-body family developed alongside the A330, providing long overwater and ultra-long-range capability before modern twin-engine wide-bodies dominated the market.

Advantages

  • Very long-range capability for its era.
  • Airbus cockpit commonality with A330 family.
  • Four engines reduced route-planning dependence on twin-engine diversion rules.

Limitations

  • Four-engine economics are weaker than modern twins.
  • Passenger fleets have declined significantly.
02

Identification

Key terms

Technical features

  • Connects model suffixes, airline maintenance strategy, and performance limits.
  • Important for aircraft identification and fleet comparison.

Advantages

  • Helps explain range, payload, noise, and fuel-burn differences.

Limitations

  • Public data may omit thrust derates or later engine swaps.
03

Aircraft line

FamilyAirbus A340 Family

Explore models

A340-200Engine family: CFM56-5CView entryA340-300Engine family: CFM56-5CView entryA340-500Engine family: Rolls-Royce Trent 500View entryA340-600Engine family: Rolls-Royce Trent 500View entry
04

Technical notes

Technical notes

  • A340-200 and A340-300 share strong commonality with early A330 designs.
  • A340-500 and A340-600 are larger, longer-range second-generation models with different engines and wing refinements.
  • Four-engine layout removed ETOPS dependency but later became a fuel-burn disadvantage.
  • Major variants covered here: A340-200, A340-300, A340-500, A340-600.

Cabin configurations

Format: F8/J42/W28/Y216; F=First, J=Business, W=Premium Economy, Y=Economy

Lufthansa

J30/W28/Y221

AeroLOPA source: Lufthansa A340-300, normalized cabin configuration J30/W28/Y221. Requested backfill v3. AeroLOPA index: Lufthansa A340-313 279 seats, 30+28+221.

AeroLOPA

Swiss

F8/J42/W21/Y144

AeroLOPA source: Swiss A340-300, normalized cabin configuration F8/J42/W21/Y144. Requested backfill v3. AeroLOPA index: Swiss A340-313 215 seats, 8+42+21+144.

AeroLOPA

South African Airways

J38/Y216

AeroLOPA source: South African Airways A340-300, normalized cabin configuration J38/Y216. Requested backfill v3. AeroLOPA index: SAA A340-313 254 seats, 38+216.

AeroLOPA

Thai Airways

J60/W42/Y113

Thai Airways official PDF source: Thai Airways A340-500, normalized cabin configuration J60/W42/Y113. Requested backfill v3. Thai official PDF states A340-500 configuration 60C / 42U / 113Y; U normalized to W.

Thai Airways official PDF

Emirates

F12/J42/Y204

Ready for Takeoff source: Emirates A340-500, normalized cabin configuration F12/J42/Y204. Requested backfill v3. Historical A340-500; source states Emirates configured 12 First, 42 Business, 204 Economy.

Ready for Takeoff

Etihad Airways

F12/J28/Y200

Ready for Takeoff source: Etihad Airways A340-500, normalized cabin configuration F12/J28/Y200. Requested backfill v3. Historical A340-500; source states Etihad configured 12 First, 28 Business, 200 Economy.

Ready for Takeoff

Lufthansa

F8/J56/W28/Y189

AeroLOPA source: Lufthansa A340-600, normalized cabin configuration F8/J56/W28/Y189. Requested backfill v3. AeroLOPA index: Lufthansa A340-642 281 seats, 8+56+28+189.

AeroLOPA

South African Airways

J42/Y291

South African Airways seat map PDF source: South African Airways A340-600, normalized cabin configuration J42/Y291. Requested backfill v3. Historical SAA A340-600 PDF states 42 Business, 291 Economy.

South African Airways seat map PDF

Mahan Air

J45/Y263

SeatLink source: Mahan Air A340-600, normalized cabin configuration J45/Y263. Requested backfill v3. SeatLink states Mahan Air A340-600 has 45 Business and 263 Economy.

SeatLink
06

Sources

Wikipedia: Airbus A340 Family