Qatar Airways has abandoned its latest Airbus A340

Unfortunately, this is the end of the line for the Qatar Airways Airbus A340-600. April 30th was the last commercial flight of carriers for the quad-engine aircraft, operating the QR835 from Bangkok to Doha.

Qatar Airways A340

Qatar Airways has ordered its four A340-600s to Bourget 2004 with options for six others. The aircraft were originally configured in three clbades with first-clbad sleeper seats and right-angle seats.

However, since then, their fleet of four A340-600s has seen their interiors change many times over the years. They initially offered a first clbad, similar to the first clbad of their A380. This was later removed in favor of improving their business clbad seats and reducing the number of premium seats in the aircraft.

Qatar Airways' attitude towards the A340-600 has changed rapidly. On September 20, 2006, Akbar Al Baker, CEO of the company, received his first A340-600: "This is a great aircraft offering comfort and efficiency, and I am confident that our customers will benefit from A really nice flying experience on our long-haul routes. . We serve the A340-600 on selected flights between Dubai and Doha, then to London Heathrow and, in the future, Paris, Osaka and the East Coast of the United States. "

However, in 2009, he expressed his disappointment with the A340-600 over the Boeing 777, saying: "If I could, I would throw them away. These planes are not at all effective.

Why does Qatar Airways withdraw its A340-600s?

Qatar Airways currently operates numerous long-range twin-engine aircraft, including the Airbus A350, Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Boeing 777, which are more efficient than the A340. In addition, Qatar's cabin products on the A340 do not comply with modern standards, unlike modern jet aircraft.

Qatar Airways has one of the youngest fleets of aircraft in the world, with an average age of 6 years only. The A340s are currently among the oldest aircraft in the fleet, averaging 12.6 years, more than double the average age of the fleet. The withdrawal of the A340 fleet will significantly reduce the average age of the fleet.

What will happen to the Qatar A340s?

According to Airline Watch, the plane will be transported from Doha to Twente to be dismantled by the Dutch airline dismantling company, AELS. Reusable parts of the aircraft, such as badpit engines and instruments, will be removed and the rest will be recycled.

The A380, another four-engine Qatar aircraft, is also expected to be decommissioned in the future. Currently, the airline has scheduled the withdrawal of the A380 for 2024 and each aircraft will be decommissioned at the age of 10 years. The A380 should be replaced by the Boeing 777X, which will be easier to complete and make more money than the A380.

Have you ever driven the Qatar A340? Let us know below!