Airbus launched the A340 in the early 1990s as a long-range widebody to serve intercontinental routes at a time when four engines were still viewed as a necessity. Despite its capability, the aircraft never achieved the commercial success of other Airbus or Boeing widebodies, with fewer than 400 built. The production of the type ended in 2011, and as airlines have increasingly turned to twinjets for efficiency, the A340 has been disappearing from fleets worldwide.
Lufthansa has played a key role in the A340’s history. It was the first airline to fly the type in 1993 with the shorter A340-200, which left the fleet a decade later. The carrier then expanded into the A340-300, eventually operating 30 aircraft and still keeping 17 in service today. It also introduced the larger A340-600, ordering 24 units, of which eight continue to fly.
Lufthansa Is Set To Offer 851 A340 Flights In October
According to scheduling data from Cirium, an aviation analytics company, Lufthansa will operate 851 flights with its A340s in October. The type sees most deployments on the Frankfurt–Boston route, with around 55 one-way flights planned during the month and more than 15,000 seats. Frankfurt–New York JFK also features prominently, with 33 one-way services scheduled. Additionally, several long-haul destinations will see daily A340 operations, including Mumbai, Detroit, and Riyadh.
Furthermore, from the start of the northern winter season on October 26, Lufthansa will further extend A340 deployments to routes in Canada. The airline will temporarily swap its Boeing 787 Dreamliners for the older-generation four-engine jets on the transatlantic route from Frankfurt to Montreal.
|
Destination |
Total Flights (one-way) |
Total Seats (one-way) |
|---|---|---|
|
Boston |
55 |
15,391 |
|
New York JFK |
33 |
9,219 |
|
Mumbai |
31 |
8,649 |
|
Detroit |
31 |
8,661 |
|
Riyadh |
31 |
8,711 |
|
Chicago |
27 |
7,539 |
|
Delhi |
26 |
7,254 |
|
Hong Kong |
25 |
7,025 |
|
Chennai |
22 |
6,138 |
|
Dallas/Fort Worth |
19 |
5,301 |
|
Abuja |
16 |
4,464 |
|
Washington Dulles |
16 |
4,464 |
|
Montreal |
15 |
4,185 |
|
Luanda |
14 |
3,906 |
|
San Jose |
13 |
3,627 |
|
Shanghai |
11 |
3,091 |
|
Atlanta |
6 |
1,674 |
|
Cape Town |
6 |
1,674 |
|
Los Angeles |
6 |
1,674 |
|
Lagos |
6 |
1,674 |
|
Denver |
5 |
1,395 |
|
Vancouver |
5 |
1,395 |
|
Dubai |
4 |
1,116 |
|
Almaty |
3 |
837 |
|
Seattle |
2 |
558 |
This move makes it the second airline to operate (joining Tunisair) the now-rare A340 to Montreal this year. The German carrier last flew the type to Montreal in August 2023, though regular service with the Airbus A340 ended in October 2022.
Why Lufthansa Still Operates A340s
The Airbus A340 is no longer considered state-of-the-art. With four engines, it is less fuel-efficient than the latest generation of twinjets, yet Lufthansa continues to operate the type. According to ch-aviation, the airline currently operates 17 A340-300 and 14 A340-600 jets. The main reason is that the carrier is still waiting for new widebodies to arrive.
According to the data, Lufthansa has orders for 15 Airbus A350-1000, 13 A350-900, 29 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, and 21 Boeing 777-9. The A340-600s are expected to be replaced by A350-1000s, while the A340-300s will eventually give way to a mix of A350-900s and 787s.
However, ongoing supply chain challenges have slowed deliveries, and the 777X program remains delayed, with certification not expected before 2026. Ch-aviation reported last year that Lufthansa plans to retire the Airbus A340 fleet by 2028.
Which Other Airlines Continue To Fly A340s
Lufthansa is not the only European carrier still operating the A340. Its subsidiary SWISS also continues to use the type, with around 154 flights scheduled in October. From Zurich, the airline flies the A340 daily to Johannesburg and Shanghai, along with three weekly departures to Seoul Incheon. Beginning October 26, the start of the northern winter season, SWISS will also add a daily service to Mumbai.
The airline is in the process of retiring its A340-300 fleet, with full withdrawal expected by mid-2027. The quad jets will be replaced by the Airbus A350-900, which will begin entering service in autumn 2025. A total of ten A350s are on order and will gradually take over long-haul operations.
Outside Europe, South African Airways continues to operate the type. In October, it has scheduled 22 one-way flights from Johannesburg to Perth, along with six services to Mauritius. Conviasa of Venezuela also remains an active A340 operator, with around 61 flights planned during the month. These include 13 departures from Caracas to Havana and nine to Cancún, alongside other regional services.
