ROYAL THAI AIR FORCE - A340-500 - HS-TYV

Dirk Grothe - HAM

Norwegian adds a leased A340-500 through mid-3Q18

Norwegian (DY, Oslo Gardermoen) will wet-lease an A340-500 from Hi Fly (5K, Lisbon) to cover its Barcelona El Prat base's summer operational requirements.
ch-aviation analysis of schedule data indicates CS-TFX (msn 912) will be deployed on the Scandinavian carrier's services to Newark and Oakland over the period running from June 1 to July 22.
Other Hi Fly aircraft in service for Norwegian this summer include one A340-300 used to cover flights from Paris CDG to New York JFK and Los Angeles Int'l, and an A330-200 used to ply Norwegian UK (DI, London Gatwick) flights out of its London Gatwick hub.

ch aviation

Photo:FPP - LPPT

Etihad concludes A340-500 operations

Etihad Airways (EY, Abu Dhabi Int'l) has ended A340-500 operations following the retirement of its last remaining aircraft of the type, A6-EHD (msn 783), on July 28 as EY616 Rabat-Abu Dhabi Int'l.

The aircraft was recently ferried to Teruel, Spain, where it joined sisterships msn 757 and 761 in storage. Msn 748 is still in use albeit with the Aeronautica Militare Italiana (IAM, Rome Ciampino) as a VIP-configured transport.
According to the ch-aviation aircraft database, the only remaining commercial operators of the type now entail AZAL Azerbaijan Airlines (two) and Hi Fly (one).

ch aviation

REPUBBLICA ITALIANA - A340-500 - I-TALY

Marco Moutinho - Lisboa

Azerbaijan Airlines Beijing / New York W15 Operation Changes

 Photo:Ton Jochems - AYT

Azerbaijan Airlines starting November 2015 is adjusting operational aircraft for Beijing and New York JFK service, based on latest schedule update. Planned operational aircraft changes as follow.

eff 07NOV15 Baku – New York JFK Boeing 787 replaces Airbus A340-500

 J2101 GYD0600 – 0955JFK 787 16

 J2102 JFK1155 – 0725+1GYD 787 16

Day 4 service operates from 17DEC15 to 11JAN16. Azerbaijan’s A340-500 operation is tentatively scheduled until 02NOV15 inclusive, however it may be operated on other routes when needed.

eff 08NOV15 Baku – Beijing Boeing 767 replaces 787-8

 J2067 GYD1920 – 0620+1PEK 767 27

 J2068 PEK0100 – 0500GYD 767 24

Airlines Routes

Emirates Schedules 1 A340-500 Beirut Rotation in early-Oct 2015

Emirates has extended planned Airbus A340-500 operation, as the airline scheduled Dubai – Beirut flight on 06/07OCT15. The A340-500 will operate on EK955/956 service.
EK955 DXB2055 – 0005+1BEY 345 06OCT15
EK956 BEY0140 – 0650DXB 345 07OCT15
Routes Online

HIFLY - A340-500 - CS-TFX - New Livery

FPP - Lisboa

Emirates Targets late-Sep 2015 for Last A340-500 Scheduled Service

Emirates has tentatively scheduled last Airbus A340-500 operation, based on recent schedule update. The airline currently targets 30SEP15 as last scheduled A340-500 operation, on Dubai – Kabul route.

EK640 DXB0955 – 1315KBL 345 D
EK641 KBL1530 – 1800DXB 345 D

Kabul service will be operated by A340-300 from 01OCT15.
Note in Summer 2015 season, the airline’s sole A340-500 operating route is Kabul, however the aircraft may occasionally operating on other regional routes when required, therefore last scheduled flight is subject to change

Airline Routes

Thai Airways Int'l puts its four A340-500s up for sale

Thai Airways International has officially put four of its mothballed A340-500s up for sale. According to tender documents seen by ch-aviation, the jets in question are: HS-TLA (cn 624), HS-TLB (cn 628), HS-TLC (cn 698), and HS-TLD (cn 775), all of which are parked at Bangkok Don Mueang
ch-aviation

AZAL Azerbaijan applies for New York JFK traffic rights

AZAL Azerbaijan Airlines has applied to the US Department of Transportation for traffic rights to New York JFK beginning Winter 2014.
AZAL says it will use its two A340-500s to operate the flights though given the impending arrival of two B787-8s in Summer this year, it is conceivable that they would also see service on the route. AZAL currently serves the CIS, Russia, China, Israel, Iran, and continental Europe.

Singapore Airlines A340-500 Routes: 2004 – 2013

Photo:Ton Jochems - LAX

Singapore Airlines on Saturday 23NOV13 is set to operate FINAL Airbus A340-500 service on Singapore – Newark route, marking the end of the carrier’s ultra long-haul operation, as well as All-Business Class Premium service.


The Star Alliance member introduced Airbus A340-500 in 181-seater 2-class configuration (64 Raffles Class and 117 Executive Economy), and changed to mono-class All-Business Class operation (100 seats) from December 2009.

 The following is the past SQ A340-500 scheduled routes, taken from OAG Schedules Analyser.


Singapore – Bangkok 01FEB04 One-off service (SQ510/511)
Singapore – Jakarta 01FEB04 – 24NOV08 (Up to 2 daily flights until 31OCT08, 1 weekly in Nov 2008)
Singapore – Los Angeles 03FEB04 – 20OCT13 (1 daily. SQ reduced service to 5 weekly from 01MAR09 to 30SEP10 and from 01MAY11 onwards)
Singapore – Newark 28JUN04 – 23NOV13 (Initially operates 1 daily. SQ reduced service to 5 weekly from 02APR09 to 18JAN10, 6 weekly from 01APR13 onwards)


Singapore Airlines in 1999 placed the order for 5 Airbus
RoutesOnline

Singapore Airlines operates last Changi - LAX A340-500 service

Singapore Airlines on Sunday October 20, 2013, operated its last Singapore Changi and Los Angeles Int'l direct service using an A340-500. The airline's other ultra long-haul A340-500 route, Singapore Changi to Newark, is due to be suspended from November 23, 2013 on. Though the routes have been operational for roughly ten years, rising fuel costs have forced the airline to reconsider their viability. Singapore Airlines has not announced any definitive timetable for the retirement of its fleet of four A340-500s but given their premium configuration, it is expected they will be immediately retired following the end of the Newark service.
Photo:Singapore

ETIHAD AIRWAYS - A340-500 - A6-EHJ

Ton Jochems - FRA

Azerbaijan Airlines - A340-500 - 4K-AZ85 (cn 886) - First A340-500 for Azerbaijan Airlines and a new colour scheme.

Guillaume carré/ gcaribou33.blogspot.fr - Bordeaux - Merignac - France

AJW Capital buys two A340-500s

AJW Capital Partners Limited, a worldwide aviation services group based in the UK, has signed a firm contract for the purchase of two Airbus A340-500s aircraft. With this order AJW Capital becomes the newest Airbus aircraft customer. Powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 500 engines the aircraft features a comfortable two-class cabin for maximum passenger appeal. Commercial service will begin with an existing AJW Group customer early 2013.

“This aircraft order is an important step to further develop the global presence and product portfolio of AJW Capital Partners”, said Christopher Whiteside, President of AJW Group.

“We are very pleased to welcome AJW Capital as a new Airbus customer and we wish to congratulate them on this order’’, said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers. ‘’We are proud that they have selected Airbus to develop their product portfolio and I look forward to our partnership”.

The A340-500 is the member of Airbus’ A330/A340 Family with to date more than 1600 aircraft sold and a customer and operator base beyond 150. Operating the world’s longest-range commercial air routes the aircraft offers maximum operational flexibility.
AIRBUS

SINGAPORE AIRLINES TO CLOSE LOS ANGELES AND NEWARK ROUTES

Asian carrier Singapore Airlines (SIA) has confirmed it will return its Airbus A340-500 fleet to the European manufacturer as part of a new $7.5 billion deal to acquire five more A380s and 20 additional A350s. The airline agreed a similar buyback agreement for its older A340-300 variants as part of a previous new aircraft order with rival manufacturer Boeing.

 SIA confirms the withdrawal of the A340-500s during the fourth quarter of 2013 will result in the closure of its non-stop services between Singapore and the US cities of Los Angeles and New York, the latter flown via Newark Liberty International Airport. This is because the airline will no longer have an aircraft with the range to fly these ultra long-haul routes.

SIA was one of only a few customers for the A340-500, which has proved to be a real niche aircraft to the world’s airlines. Its deal with Airbus will ease pressure on the carrier disposing of these aircraft itself as there is only a very limited used marketplace for the type.

Routes
Photo:Singapore