TOULOUSE, FRANCE — Air Greenland has taken delivery of an Airbus A330-800 widebody aircraft, making the airline the latest operator of the type. Other operators are Kuwait Airways and Uganda Airlines.
The new aircraft will replace the previous generation Airbus A330-200 aircraft in Air Greenland's fleet. Compared to its predecessor, the A330neo Family jets offer lower operating costs and CO2 emissions, along with an improved passenger cabin. Air Greenland's A330-800 is configured to accommodate 305 passengers in a two-class layout, 42 Premium Class seats and 263 Economy Class seats.
Air Greenland has also firmed up an agreement with Airbus on Flight Hour Services (FHS), which covers component supply and maintenance services. Based on a circular economy model and carbon footprint reduction, the Airbus FHS offers more sustainability throughout the aircraft's life cycle. More than 1,200 aircraft worldwide are currently being contracted under Airbus FHS.
The delivery flight will be powered by a 30 percent blend of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
Air Greenland will initially operate its A330-800 between Greenland and Denmark, adding North American and European routes at a later date.
The A330neo is the new generation version of the popular A330 widebody. Incorporating the latest generation Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, new wings, and a range of aerodynamic innovations, the aircraft offers a 25 percent reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. The A330-800 is capable of flying 8150 NM (15 094 km) non-stop.
Airbus' A330neo backlog stands at 275 firm orders from 24 customers. The A330-900, the larger variant of the family, received most of the orders. The A330-800 has so far registered orders for only 11 copies from Air Greenland (1), Kuwait Airways (4), Uganda Airlines (2), and Garuda Indonesia (4).
Hawaiian Airlines had placed an order for six Airbus A330-800neo, but the airline dropped it in 2018 and placed a new order for ten Boeing 787 Dreamliners.
