What do you think of the A330 and A340?

Posted by Twitter_2006@reddit | aviation | View on Reddit | 46 comments

I personally don't like the A340 due to its noise level - it was too noisy when I flew it and didn't really enjoy it. I was grateful to get off the plane... it was a A340-600.

I flew the A330-200 and while I like the plane a lot from the outside.Its fuselage is really beautiful and I love to see it at airports.

However, my personal experience on it wasn't that great honestly.I know this is down to the airline and not to the aircraft itself, but it was showing its age with worn out seats and poor inflight entertainment.

The plane was making noises when it used its flaps and when it taxied to the runway.Then upon takeoff, there was black smoke and I got scared. In hindsight, this was normal.

I like the A330 more than the A340 and I would like to try the A330neo some day as well.

If I had to choose between the A330, A340 or B777, the 777 wins easily.

I'd like your thoughts and hope to have a nice discussion.I am talking from personal experience.

Image is NOT related to the text.

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ATangK@reddit

A330/A340 is nice because it’s usually 2-4-2 over the 3-3-3 in a 777.

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greatlakesailors@reddit

Your 777s are 3-3-3?

Air Canada keeps insisting that they're a 3-4-3 plane, no matter how many times customers point out that you simply cannot fit an average Canadian adult male in such a seat width-wise....

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xsm17@reddit

Some of the premium east Asian airlines still have predominantly or all 3-3-3 777s. JAL, Asiana, ANA, and Korean do (I think some are even 2-4-3), Singapore and Thai as well off the top of my head. Cathay is my home airline and has sadly gone to 3-4-3 so now I always have to check to avoid whenever they use 777s. Genuinely surprised that Thai hasn't yet considering their quality does feel like it's dropped a notch otherwise, I flew on their A330 a couple of years ago and the legroom was so cramped.

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ATangK@reddit

Sorry yeah I meant 3-4-3, but I was more thinking of the 787’s since they’re the planes that mostly replaced older a330’s, which downgraded the 2-4-2 into a 3-3-3 experience. I have flown on a 3-3-3 777 but i understand it’s not the norm.

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schwanerhill@reddit

787 was designed to be 8 across with comfortable width. Airlines quickly realized it could be configured 9 across with cramped width, and by now that’s how virtually all airlines configure it.

777 was designed to be 9 across and mostly flew that way for years before airlines started cramming in 10 across, which again is now the norm.

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lael8u@reddit

I hate it as a naturally wide person.

gkon7@reddit

Both rocks. Perfect machinery. I would trust them in any condition. Especially A340-600 is one of a kind.

PotatoFeeder@reddit

Yea the a340-300 is a literal rock

Rock with 5% more thrust than the minimum needed to get airborne

dek00s@reddit

I have flown every 330/340 except for the 342 and 345. I’m flying the -900neo in a few weeks.

I’m partial to airbus but I think the 330/340 are a big reason the aviation industry has landed on point-point strategy instead of hub and spoke (with the notable exceptions DXB and LHR).

One of the best flights I’ve ever been on is a Virgin a340-600 that was nearly empty. The RR Trent’s have a fantastic sound on spool up, and once the plane was in the air, it was the quietest / smoothest flight ever.

They are amazing from a passenger experience and have a great safety record. Even managed to keep passengers safe in some notable crashes (343 in Toronto, 346 in Quito).

Try to fly them before they are gone!

totalyrespecatbleguy@reddit

The a330 is lowkey the Toyota Highlander of the airplane world. Boring, reliable, well built, and will probably be around for a while.

Ok-Insurance-9456@reddit

Until it decides to nose dive mid air.. Airbus was really fortunate the crew of Qantas 72 were so amazing, else a nose dive crash like that would've been a PR disaster

It only nose dived because the copilot was lowkey panicking and not letting go of the stick

Lucky_Outside_2009@reddit

They're talking about Qantas 72 where the plane dived itself multiple times, no human factors there it's all on the plane.

bschmidt25@reddit

I was on a DL A330neo a few weeks ago. It was a quiet, comfortable ride. 2-4-2 seating is a big plus. Never been on a 340 but hoping to before they’re all gone.

skabberwobber@reddit

A330 and 767 look very similar, and both look like a md11 without a tail engine and the md11 looks like a 747 minus the upper deck and minus two wing engines and an added tail engine.

The_End_Is_Tomorrow@reddit

I love the A330, but for best experience ever had to be the only time I ever flew on a Lufthansa A340-600, CLT-MUC. Seat 1A (award ticket). Johnny Walker Blue, Aurora Borealis and and then the FC lounge and treatment for my connection in MUC. Once in a lifetime experience (for me at least).

MattTheMechan1c@reddit

One of my favourite planes to fly long haul on. I love the 2-4-2 seating layout and despite their age they are very refined. I fly Toronto to Amsterdam and back often with Air Canada and they would often rotate between an A330, 787, and 777 for that route, I would get excited if the A330 is used. Also flown on Cathay Pacific A330s in the past and it’s a great time. The last time I flew on an A340 was in 2008 from HK to Vancouver so I have vague memories of it but I remember it was one of the last A340 flights of Air Canada before retiring them.

Schwalbe262Guy@reddit

Me personally im just looking to get typed in Both. No crazy reason why, just more to enjoy other planes. My goal is to be type in A220, A320, A330, A340, and A350.

islandcactus@reddit

Used to be a relief pilot

Expensive_Gold2873@reddit

Both are hideous looking, the A340 perhaps, slightly less so. I never understood the cockpit glass situation (from the A300) and why it looks so disjointed. Also, the tapered floor in the rear looks super odd as does the huge wing box and drooping landing gear. Aesthetically, it's the ugliest mainline widebody ever made.

ThisIsMyOtherBurner@reddit

one is probably louder then the other

Constant-Estate3065@reddit

I find the A330 a really good looking aircraft, really nicely proportioned. Also love its forward tilted stance on the tarmac, makes it look a bit like a scorpion.

withurwife@reddit

I'm a Boeing fan, but my favorite Airbus is the A330 Neo. Great aircraft for sure. Not a fan of a340 especially the 5 apu variant of the -300. -600 I'm neutral on but it sucks compared to a 747.

Airbus aesthetically looks like a cheaper version of Boeing with worse lines.....except for the A330 Neo.

Celebration_Dapper@reddit

Love the A340 for the four engines (and the Dash 7 for the same reason, ugly as it may be).

ckanderson@reddit

The only A340 I want to fly is Lufthansa's to experience the downstairs lavatory.

gbish@reddit

I experienced it on FRA-HKG and it was great for being able to walk around, go up and down stairs and keep some movement.

Pons399@reddit

I’m just here to comment how good that old KAL livery looks on the 330, or really anything.

Twitter_2006@reddit (OP)

I prefer it over the new one!

Xi_Highping@reddit

The A340-500 is the rarest airliner I’ve ever flown on. A long time ago now, when Emirates used to fly them fifth-freedom between Australia and New Zealand. Also flew the same route when Emirates switched to the A380, although they’ve since dropped that tag - the NZ flights are non-stop now.

Any-Vehicle4418@reddit

Seats and IFE have nothing to do with the aircraft.

MichiganRedWing@reddit

A330 is my personal favorite aircraft. Majestic 👌

HappyGnumff@reddit

You never flew the A330 or the A340. You flew ON them as passenger. Only pilots fly aeroplanes, passengers fly on aeroplanes.

Rupperrt@reddit

Should have used ”acktschually” to emphazise your complaint

Realistic-Bid9464@reddit

I personally prefer the A330 over the A340. The A340's fuselage, especially the -600, looks too long and narrow for a four-engine aircraft IMO. While the interior is usually quite nice, I’m not as fond of its exterior design, particularly the smaller nose. I tend to prefer widebodies with more prominent noses, like the Boeing 747. When it comes to the nacelles I prefer the ones on the first gen A330s rather than the NEOs.

HAWG@reddit

Really enjoyed flying on the a330. The 2-4-2 configuration was nice and the 18 inch seats much better than what we have on most 777 these days

ilovebooks2468@reddit

I flew a Delta A330 between the United States and China. I don't remember too much about it, but an uneventful flight is a good flight. I remember thinking it reminded me of Airbus's larger version of a 767

Koekenhoene@reddit

love 'em

letsoverclock@reddit

I think a330’s 2-4-2 seating is miles better than 350 or 777 or 787. Only 767 beats it with 2-3-2 but it doesn’t make a big difference because all seats are 1 seat away from aisle at most anyways.

I was told that under right conditions, a330-300 could have better economics than 787 on trans-Atlantic flights if you take cheaper acquisition costs, when fuel prices are cheap.

I think that cabin of many 330’s are in poor state because many airlines believe their 330s will be retired/replaced soon and don’t want to spend much money on it, but it keeps sticking around as their new deliveries are delayed or its running cost for keeping it around is justifiable or use the extra capacity to launch new routes instead.

I personally like the roar of rolls royce Trent’s and the howls of the gtcp331-350 apu.

While 330 flap slat motors can be loud, I think it’s less obnoxious than whine the 787 c1/c2 hydraulic pumps located under L3 door.

Ordinary_Degree_4213@reddit

Only airbus that looks good and turns heads is the A330! Love that jet

Yeah.I love watching it takeoff and land.

LowPomegranate225@reddit

Very comfortable jets even compared to today's more modern jets like a350.

ajfoscu@reddit

The A340-600 fascinated me as a kid, can’t really explain why. It was like a sleek, four-engined unicorn.

GGCRX@reddit

If you've ever been on an old Soviet jet, the A340 is a freaking sensory deprivation chamber by comparison.

I like flying big beasts, and the 340 is one of the biggest out there. I wouldn't mind the noise.

It's kind of like, I want my car to be as quiet as possible on a daily basis, but damn if driving a race car isn't fun.

I couldn't handle the noise on the A340 personally.I'd like to travel on the A330 again, both the old and new variants.

TitanandIlovemycat@reddit

Both butter machines

AfterwardsCold@reddit

A330 is my favourite aircraft mostly because it was the first widebody I flew on so it stuck with me. Ever since then I have been flying it in the simulator frequently and been in a few 330 cockpits. Doing my flight training now and I’d love to fly the 330 for air Canada at some point