TAP Air Portugal has taken delivery of the world’s first new-generation widebody A330-900neo.
As the launch airline, TAP will be the first to benefit from the aircraft’s unbeatable operating economics, increased range, and Airbus’ new Airspace cabin offering passengers the best in class comfort.
The Portuguese carrier will take delivery of a further 20 A330-900s in the coming years.
TAP Air Portugal’s first A330-900 features 298 seats in a comfortable three-class lay-out with 34 full-flat business class, 96 economy plus and 168 economy class seats.
The Airspace by Airbus cabin offers more personal space, larger overhead storage bins, advanced cabin lighting and the latest-generation in-flight entertainment system and connectivity.
The aircraft will be deployed on routes from Portugal to the Americas and Africa.
Said Antonoaldo Neves, TAP Air Portugal CEO: “I am delighted to welcome the first Airbus A330-900 into our expanding fleet. Its unbeatable economics and efficiency will power our business forward.
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“The A330neo will give us a lot of operational flexibility thanks to its commonality with the other Airbus aircraft in our fleet.”
Guillaume Faury, President of Airbus Commercial Aircraft: “Handing over the first ever A330neo to a long-standing Airbus customer, TAP Air Portugal, is a very important milestone for Airbus.
“Through continuous innovations, the A330neo, our newest widebody aircraft, will offer maximum value and efficiency to our customers and superior comfort to their passengers. This occasion marks another step forward to meeting our industry’s goal for sustainable aviation.”
The A330neo is a true new-generation aircraft building on the A330’s success and leveraging on A350 XWB technology.
It incorporates the highly-efficient new-generation Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, and a new higher span 3D optimised wing with new Sharklets fully optimised for the best aerodynamic performance.
Together these advances bring a significant reduction in fuel consumption of 25 percent compared with older-generation competitor aircraft of a similar size.
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