For most of the 30 years it has been in service, the Airbus A340-600 has been considered a commercial failure, an uneconomical aircraft that was modified by rivals soon after its release. Its four thirsty engines, its record-breaking length required special runway clearance, and its unusual design earned it a reputation for eyebrow-raising onboard activities.
But you wouldn’t know it from the enthusiastic reception one of the few remaining A340-600s received this month when it arrived at Washington Dulles International Airport for a flight that ended the plane’s relationship with German carrier Lufthansa.
As the 17-year-old jetliner (tail number D-AIHW) arrived at the gate in front of architect Eero Saarinen’s famous jet-era Dulles Terminal and control tower, crowds of aviation enthusiasts flocked to the windows, joined the crew, and posed for photos with banners highlighting the occasion.
“It’s very sad,” said Chris Godenswege, who traveled from Berlin to Washington to catch the last flight to the German city of Frankfurt. “It’s an impressive aircraft.”
Timothy Lehmann from Stuttgart, Germany, was one of six friends, all wearing homemade “4 Engines 4 Long Range” T-shirts, who came to Dulles to board the final flight on Oct. 18 and deliver cakes to the crew. “It’s always nice to have four engines for long-distance driving,” he said.
It’s not unusual for modern airliners to have a cult AvGeek following, but the A340-600 is perhaps unique in that it’s a popular jet that failed to meet its commercial aspirations. The A380 superjumbo that followed had a brief heyday before falling out of favor.
Behind its popularity are some interesting engineering idiosyncrasies.
When it debuted in August 2002, the A340-600 had a fuselage length of 247 feet, making it the world’s longest commercial airliner. Eight years later, that title was abandoned when Boeing introduced the 5-foot longer 747-8 Intercontinental. Operating an aircraft of such stretched dimensions required special measures.
Jetliners had to be fitted with airplane-like backup cameras to allow pilots to see their surroundings while maneuvering on the tarmac. Visiting airports also required an additional layer of management to ensure that the taxiways and runways could accommodate their enormous size.
Its unusual specifications meant that during the fall, when fewer and fewer aircraft were flying, Lufthansa’s A340-600s often had to fly with their own towbars in case their destination airport did not have a compatible towbar.
However, its elongated appearance, powered by four Rolls-Royce Trent 500 engines and a wider wingspan, was much admired.
Unusual for a commercial airliner, the aircraft had an unusual interior design, with a downstairs toilet carved out of the space normally reserved for cargo. This freed up space for more seating in the main cabin, but also created an opportunity for the Mile High Club in some racy flyers.
“The A340-600 is a truly special aircraft,” Francesco Sciortino, the captain of the final flight and a Lufthansa Group board member, said in an interview before takeoff. “At the time, it was the longest airplane in the world. We’ve been flying it for 23 years now and have carried more than 40 million passengers around the world.”
But while fans and crews loved the A340-600, the airline industry’s response was more pragmatic.
Airbus said it introduced the A340-600 because customers are looking for larger, longer-range jets. Airlines from China Eastern to Iberia, South African Airways and Virgin Atlantic have agreed and ordered dozens of the new stretch A340s. Virgin Atlantic operated its first paid flight in 2002.
Alain Pardot, Airbus’ A330 and A340 product manager, told Aviation Week in 2000 that “we see the A340-600 as a successor to the ‘classic’ 747 and a replacement for the 747-400 rather than a 777X competitor.”
But it was never a big seller, with global fleets peaking at just 95 planes in 2009, according to data from aviation analytics firm Cirium, and is widely seen as a commercial disappointment.
When Airbus launched the A340-600, then-CEO Noel Foggia predicted that “passengers would prefer four engines.” But the airline didn’t do that, and market changes meant it turned out to be a losing bet.
The arrival of the A340-600 coincided with the arrival of Boeing’s stretch version of the 777-300 and the longer-range 777-300ER (the “777X” Pardot was referring to).
These models responded to airlines’ desire for larger jets with seating capacity comparable to the expanded A340, more economical twin-engine engines, and capable of intercontinental travel. Boeing went on to sell hundreds of stretched 777s, making the plane a best-seller for the American plane maker.
Relatively few A340-600s have actually taken off, and their sightings have become increasingly rare over the past few years. China Eastern flew its last A340-600 in 2015, followed by Iberia and Virgin Atlantic in 2020, with the South African aircraft holding out until 2021.
Checkered fortunes aside, the A340-600, or at least its wide range of aircraft models, is believed to be a legacy that helped build a strong future for the European manufacturer.
“Despite its shortcomings, the A340 was essential to Airbus’ rise to becoming a global player,” Pierre Sparako, former Paris bureau chief for Aviation Week, wrote in a 2011 commentary. Although the plane was not a commercial success, it laid the groundwork for the double-decker A380, a popular choice for travelers since it entered service in 2007.
Fans of the A340-600 can still find a few in the air today. Venezuela’s Conviasa Airlines and Iran’s Mahan Air still operate several aircraft, according to Cirium data. And although Lufthansa’s last four models were quickly sent to storage in Düsseldorf, they may end up in the hands of charter airlines before heading to the scrap heap.
Lufthansa plans to replace its A340-600s with Airbus A350-1000s (the first of which are scheduled for December) and Boeing’s long-delayed 777-9 in 2027. Both new aircraft are not only significantly more fuel efficient, but also feature the latest traveler comforts, including Lufthansa’s new suite of Allegri First, Business, Premium Economy and Economy seats.
The same changes are slowly coming to the A380 and the rest of the 747s. Twin-engine aircraft offer the same or better performance than four-engine aircraft and are significantly less expensive to operate. This is especially important for airline managers in good times, and especially today when heating oil prices are above $4 a gallon.
“The future is twin engines,” Sciortino said.
Still, those who fly the small but mighty plane will miss the A340 when it leaves.
“It’s very emotional,” AvGeek Bryn Jennings, who arrived on the last flight from the UK, said as she waited to board in Washington. “It’s an honor to be on the last flight.”
He, like Lehmann and his friends, wore a homemade A340-600 goodbye T-shirt.
“Thank you to everyone on the A340-600 for 23 wonderful years,” Sciortino said in his final remarks before the final flight landed in Frankfurt.
Auf Wiedersehen.
