A330-300

The stretched-fuselage A330-300 matches twin-engine efficiency with increased passenger capacity – all while retaining the A330 Family’s highly comfortable, low noise cabin and operating commonality with the entire Airbus fly-by-wire product line.  This jetliner has a range of up to 5,450 nautical miles while carrying 300 passengers in a typical two-cabin arrangement, seating 36 in first or business class at a 60-inch seat pitch, and 264 in coach at 32-inch pitch. 

Its designed-in flexibility allows airlines to integrate Airbus’ innovative crew rest facilities without giving up revenue passenger seats.  A secure flight crew location next to the cockpit accommodates one or two bunks, while a pallet-mounted rest area with up to seven bunks for cabin personnel is designed for loading under the main deck, with accessibility via a stair in the centre-left passenger cabin.

Airbus’ 222-inch fuselage cross-section provides unmatched comfort on the main deck, while also offering large underfloor holds that open up opportunities for extra revenue from cargo.  These holds accept industry-standard LD3 containers in side-by-loading, facilitating cargo processing and interlining.  In a typical arrangement, six 96-inch pallets or 18 LD3 containers can be accommodated in forward zone; while its aft cargo hold can handle such loads as 12 LD3 containers along with one 96-inch pallet, plus bulk cargo.

Continuous improvement applied by Airbus to its jetliner product line results in lower costs and better operations for the A330-300.  This ranges from weight reductions in the airframe, introduction of modern passenger cabin features, and system improvements to engine upgrades and advanced navigation systems in the cockpit.  They also result in longer maintenance check intervals.

A further enhancement of the A330 comes with Airbus’ launch of an increased maximum takeoff weight capability to 242 metric tonnes.  With this improvement, the A330-300 will benefit from up to 500 naut. mi. of extra range, to over  6,050 naut. mi. (11,200 km.) – with 300 passengers, and carry nearly five tonnes more payload than the previous 235-tonne aircraft.  In operational terms, the increased takeoff weight A330-300 will be able to connect to the following new city pairs: London to Tokyo; Frankfurt to Cape Town; Beijing to Melbourne; Beijing to San Francisco; Kuala Lumpur to Paris; and Los Angeles to Dublin. 

Airbus will apply the 242-tonne maximum takeoff weight capability first to the A330-300, with an entry in service targeted for mid-2015 (followed by the A330-200 and A330-200F).