Name: Airbus A340-300
Brand: Airbus

The original and most popular variant of the four-engine A340 family. Developed alongside the twin-engine A330 sharing the same wing, it offered airlines a long-range option before ETOPS regulations expanded twin-engine possibilities.

Passengers

295-440

Range

8,389 mi

Cruise Speed

547 mph

First Flight

1991

Did You Know?

The A340 and A330 were developed simultaneously with the same wing, making them one of aviations most successful parallel development programs.

History & Timeline

Key Milestones

1991

First Flight

The A340-300 completed its maiden flight on October 25, 1991, from Toulouse, becoming the first A340 variant to fly.

1993

Entry into Service

Air France and Lufthansa simultaneously became the first A340 operators in March 1993, using it on long-haul intercontinental routes.

Development Story

Program Launch

The A340 was launched alongside the A330 in June 1987, with four engines to bypass ETOPS restrictions that limited twin-engine overwater operations.

ETOPS Made It Obsolete

As ETOPS regulations expanded twin-engine possibilities through the 1990s and 2000s, the A340s four-engine advantage became an economic disadvantage.

Interesting Facts

Four Engines Four Long Haul

Airbus marketed the A340 with the slogan 4 Engines 4 Long Haul, emphasizing passenger confidence in having four engines for overwater flights.

Records & Achievements

Non-Stop Distance Record

In 1993, a modified A340-200 flew non-stop from Paris to Auckland covering 10,409 nautical miles in 24 hours and 11 minutes, setting a commercial aircraft distance record.

1993

Legacy & Impact

End of an Era

The A340 represented the last generation of four-engine long-haul aircraft before efficient twins like the 777 and A350 made quad-jets economically unviable.