Virgin Atlantic to operate first flight of the Airbus A340-600 aircraft

Airline Industry Information, July 22, 2002

AIRLINE INDUSTRY INFORMATION-(C)1997-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

The world's longest passenger aircraft - the Airbus A340-600, operated by Virgin Atlantic Airways - is scheduled to make its official launch flight today (22 July).

The aircraft is 247ft long, has a wing span of 208ft, a maximum take-off weight of 368,000kg, can carry up to 20,000kg of luggage, has a flying range of up to 13,500km, can seat 311 passengers, and is crewed by 15 cabin crew and up to four pilots. It will depart from London's Heathrow airport, UK, for a private flight to the Farnborough Air Show.

The A340-600 also features a first class cabin that has 14 different lighting effects, a bar, an in-flight beauty therapy area, and sleeper seats which offer 6ft 8ins of sleeping space; and a Premium Economy section with seats with three controllable air bags to customise seat design. All seats also have television monitors, and in-flight entertainment systems. The aircraft has cameras mounted on its fin and belly to help the crew as it taxis on runways.

The airline, which is planning to replace its Airbus A340-300 aircraft with the new A340-600 by 2006, will initially operate the aircraft between Heathrow and New York, Tokyo and Hong Kong.

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