Airbus pioneered the concept of aircraft commonality in its new generation of fly-by-wire jetliners, and the A330/A340 Family brings these advantages to six aircraft with seating capacities of 250 to 475 passengers and operating ranges from regional segments to ultra-long-distance routes.

The A330 and A340 feature nearly identical cockpits and have highly similar flying qualities, allowing both aircraft to be operated by a common pool of pilots. In fact, flight crews can transition from the A340 to the A330 in only one day, while a move from the A330 to A340 is performed in just three days. The savings in time – which compares to 25 days for a full type rating training course required with competing aircraft – mean lower training costs for airlines and increased crew productivity.

Another advantage of Airbus commonality is a pilot's ability to be current on more than one Airbus fly-by-wire aircraft type at a time. This is known as Mixed Fleet Flying and enables a pilot rated on an A340 to switch from very long-haul operations to short- or medium-haul flights at the controls of the A320 Family. This opens new crew scheduling possibilities and provides a mix of flying opportunities that is highly appreciated by pilots.