Kuwait Airways because the latest operator to fly the Airbus A330neo – with it taking delivery of the first two Airbus A330-800neo.
Kuwait Airways Airbus A330-800neo conducting its first flight, Image – Airbus.
It marks the first time that the range-optimised variant of the A330neo – the A330-800neo – has been delivered to a customer.
These are two aircraft are the first of eight aircraft that will be delivered to the airline.
The carrier currently operates a fleet of 15 Airbus aircraft comprising seven A320ceos, three A320neos and five A330ceos.
According to Airbus, the mid-sized capacity and its excellent range versatility, the A330neo is considered the ideal aircraft to operate as part of the post-COVID-19 recovery.
Kuwait Airways have configured their aircraft in a two-class configuration. It will feature 32 fully-flat beds in Business Class and 203 seats in Economy Class, along with with a cargo hold for that all-important freight traffic.
In quotes
Kuwait Airways Chairman, Captain Ali Mohammad Al-Dukhan stated
“Kuwait Airways takes pride in its continued relationship and cooperation with Airbus for the past four decades.
The delivery of the first two A330neos is yet another significant milestone for Kuwait Airways as we progress towards our goals and implementation of our fleet development strategy,”
“The introduction of the A330neos to our expanding fleet strengthens Kuwait Airways’ position as a prominent airline in both the regional and global aviation sector. As we are continuously reviewing our passenger requirements to provide excellent services, combined with comfort and safety during each flight, the arrival of the A330neos commences a new phase in the services we provide to our passengers on board, in addition to efficient and comfortable air transport services with Kuwait Airways”,
Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer said
“The A330neo is the right aircraft for Kuwait Airways in these challenging times. This unique product is spot-on with Kuwait Airways’ ambition to expand its network in the most efficient and versatile way,”
“With its Airspace best-in-class cabin comfort the aircraft will quickly become a passengers’ favourite. Thanks to its high level of commonality and cost advantages, the A330neo will easily and efficiently integrate into Kuwait Airways’ current fleet of A320s, A330s and its future fleet of A350s”
Planning for the future
The A330neo family is one that slots into that famous middle ground that airlines love. In this case, the A330-800neo sacrifices payload (passengers and cargo, with a reduced length fuselage) for range – which when life begins to resume again.
In those times, having a slightly smaller aircraft that can handle longer and thinner routes could be a benefit to airlines, allowing to fly passengers at a reduced cost.
It will be interesting to see what routes these new A330-800neo aircraft are assigned.
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