Growth of Airbus widebody fleet points to success with new type
17 NOVEMBER 2011 PRESS RELEASE
Honolulu-based Hawaiian Airlines has grown its order for Airbus A330-200s today signing for an additional five aircraft. Hawaiian became a new Airbus operator just last year and now has a commitment of 22 A330 aircraft including four that are leased. The airline currently operates five A330-200s.Mark Dunkerley, Hawaiian president and CEO, said, Adding these additional A330-200s to our fleet over the next four years will support the continued expansion of our network and replacement of our current 767-300s. Our guests have responded enthusiastically to the cabin comfort and amenities of the A330-200, which, together with the superior service of our front line employees, offer the best airline experience for travelers to Hawaii.
“This has been our best week of the year in terms of sales, outside the Paris Airshow and it is very gratifying that Hawaiian tops it off with an order for five new A330 wide-bodies to fulfil their ambitious growth plans, “said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers. Just a year-and-a-half ago, I said I hoped that Hawaiians passengers and employees would come to love this aircraft, and that hope has proven to be a reality.
Hawaiian new A330s, like their existing A330 fleet, will seat 294 passengers in a comfortable, two-class configuration and have a range of more than 6,000 nautical miles. The A330-200 has excellent operational flexibility, serving a wide range of route structures, and provides operators with very low operating costs per seat. Its proven record of efficiency and superior passenger comfort provides airlines with a significant competitive advantage in today market. As of the end of October, there were 433 A330-200s in operation worldwide, with a backlog of firm orders of 131.
