Commencement Ceremony Celebrates First Next-Gen Narrowbody Delivery

Italian national carrier ITA Airways, took delivery of its first A330-900 from Air Lease Corporation.

The carrier made a big to-do about the handover, performing it at a small ceremony in Toulouse, France to commemorate the occasion. The A330neo will join the ITA Airways fleet in June to serve its long-haul routes and new intercontinental destinations.

The A330neo will become the most recent current-generation aircraft type in ITA's fleet, joining a number of its kin in Italian service. The airline's current stable includes 68 Airbus aircraft in all, broken down between 4 A220s, 50 A320 Family, 8 A330-200s and 6 A350-900s. The firm, and Airbus, were happy to make the gradual shift towards the modern rendition of the long-running A330, with plenty of ink devoted to the efficiency and sustainability improvements brought along with the -neo series of aircraft.

The A330neo in ITA Airways service, unlike so many carriers out West, was given a name, commemorating the Italian Olympic marathon champion Gelindo Bordin. The aircraft will sport a 3-class cabin layout by Walter da Silva, offering passengers 30 full-size lie-flat business class seats, 24 premium and 237 economy seats. 36 of the economy section will be made as "comfort economy" seats. Each passenger station will be equipped with entertainment equipment, wifi support, and climate control. 

The A330 is just getting started in the global market, with only 100 of the type delivered throughout the world. The A330neo is the pan-european contender to the twin-turbine, widebody aircraft throne. As a market counterpart to the Boeing 787, the A330neo has seen similar adoption and enthusiasm as a long-haul, efficient option over older 4-engine widebodies. The -neo's Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines manage to cut fuel consumption by 25% over the previous A330 model, all while granting a 7,200-nm range. So far, the A330 family has managed to rack up more than 1,775 firm orders, though only 289 of them are reserved for the top-flight A330neo.

FMI: www.airbus.com