Why the A340 is the World's Unluckiest Plane

[@cobyexplanes]

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[@alunesh12345]

Believe in JESUS today, confess and repent of your sins. No one goes to heaven for doing good but by believing in JESUS who died for our sins. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.(John 3:16)❤️😎❤️😎❤️

[@camdaman813]

Subscribed.

[@BobbyGeneric145]

Are you on glue? Or just making it up as you go? Airbus was not "riding high" on a "smash hit" a300. They could literally barely GIVE IT AWAY! Loads of white tails piling up... I don't want to continue beyond the first minute, wondering how it could actually improve.

[@duplicate227]

I am lucky I have flown in A340-600 from Abu Dhabi to Riyadh.. It was lovely flight

[@Junior-xp9gl]

Damn I really miss the A340, most especially Virgin Atlantic A340-600s they were classics . I’m glad I’ve flown one twice

[@atakorkut5110]

The a340 is still one of my absolute favorite wide body to this day. I have flown on the plane in every possible way from the cockpit to the flight attendant cabin with beds downstairs and everything in between. I always remember feeling extremely safe onboard I remember the safety record is impeccable.

[@CHAuto333]

Exactly! I flew an Air France A340-300 from Paris (CDG) to KMSP in 2015!

[@atakorkut5110]

I know you can still take a ride on a 300 and 600 variants on Lufthansa I think Iberia might still have a few Swiss and I think maybe Turkish still has a few of the newer ones still flying Asia routes

[@berksaudios4359]

@@CHAuto333 same! I did it in.. 2018 I believe

[@jantschierschky3461]

@@atakorkut5110 south Africa has them too, so if you want to visit Jo'burg

[@jackdonekings]

​@@alunesh12345 Jesus never existed get over it bro. take responsibility for your own problems.

[@666BirdOfPrey]

I am a captain on A-340-300 The systems redundancy is on much higher level than any twin jet ever . It’s not only the engines count It the related systems , for example you have 4 engine driven electric generators ( plus RAT and APU ) You have 4 engine driven hydraulic pumps ( plus 3 electric and RAT ) This is a maintenance burden and extra expenses but far more safe than anything else up in the sky

[@accesscrimea]

Ridiculous. Everything in the sky is extremely safe.

[@joelgeorge6203]

@@accesscrimeasay that to Max

[@presidentvladimirputin850]

@@joelgeorge6203 😂

[@WankhasFluxReal]

What about the a380?

[@moekitsune]

​@@joelgeorge6203The Max was only unsafe because Boeing didn't do what they were supposed to do. After it's been recertified the plane is as safe as any other.

[@stefanocozzi8188]

The first time I hopped on a plane was at the age of three, and it was indeed the A340-600. At the time it was the longest passenger aircraft ever built. I remember the beautiful roar of those Trent - 500s. After that flight, I went home and started trying to rebuild the A 340 with legos. Fast forward 16 years later, I'm currently pursuing a career in aviation. The A 340-600 remains my favorite aircraft of all time!

[@everythingbutthegirlfan762]

My three year old also regularly comments on the engines of the plane when we take her on long flights.

[@Ormodius3751]

Trent 700 powering the a330 sounds similar, and is much more common

[@flightsimaviationentertainment]

@@Ormodius3751The A340 is such a beauty though !

[@ericjanson2328]

I make my living flying A340. Have been flying it since 2009. It has always carried my passengers and I safely all over the World. My company now operates them as 'Preighters' with the Economy seats removed. This shows what an amazingly versatile aircraft the A340 really is. Just finished flying 2 different A340 East around the world. The low lease costs offset the higher fuel burn.

[@TheZmorris1234]

Cap

[@chrisscottu]

100% cap

[@ecpetr0188]

100% cap

[@danielkoskiluoto4499]

@@ecpetr0188 why is it cap?

[@ThroneOfBhaal]

WTF does that even mean?

[@Kaipeternicolas]

I've got tons of A340 flights under my belt. I'd guess around 50 flights in A340-300s and A340-600s (also got to sit jump seat several times before 9/11). I also have about 6 hours in the LH A340 sim in Frankfurt. I absolutely LOVE the A340s. Especially the -600 I think was a beautiful airplane and especially nice in LHs config. I will miss the A340s tremendously. There is nothing better than looking out the window and seeing 2 engines hanging out there on a wing.

[@alunesh12345]

Believe in JESUS today, confess and repent of your sins. No one goes to heaven for doing good but by believing in JESUS who died for our sins. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.(John 3:16)❤️😎❤️😎❤️

[@asdasd-sb9bk]

@@alunesh12345 Cool

[@superblump87]

@@alunesh12345 Jesus, and religion, are a man-made construct.

[@Anti-socialSocialClub]

@@alunesh12345 slightly misplaced comment but... Biggup to you!

[@DarkLordApocalypse]

@@alunesh12345 bro, well said and 100% agreed 🤜🤛

[@andreaskarbe4030]

One interesting aspect why Airbus went initially for four engines: The initial A340 varieties used CMF56 engines. Thus, Airbus gave airlines the option to use similar engines for short and long haul planes as you can/could order the A320 familiy with CMF56 engines, too. Hence, an airline could save some maintenance costs.

[@tramlink8544]

also hence why many pilots thought of the A340 as a lame duck because of its lack of power

[@andreaskarbe4030]

@@tramlink8544 Not only pilots think the A340 is a plane with four hairdryers beneath it. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fGLGfJmQltmfh5Y

[@Curt_Sampson]

Ah, but Boeing did do the same with the 757 and 767, did they not? If you went with the Rolls Royce option, they both used RB211 engines. I'm not sure how much commonality there was between the PW2000 (757) and PW4000 (767) engine options, though. This would also be why the 757 was so overpowered: the smallest RB211 had about 189 kN thrust as compared to the 214-234 kN thrust of the engines used on the 767-200. (The smallest PW-2000 was somewhat less, at 163 kN.)

[@GeorgeMCMLIX]

@@Curt_Sampson - There’s a considerable difference between P&W 2000 and 4000, also between RB211E (757) and G/H variants (767) Essentially the PW4000 was a derivative of the JT9D which powered the early 747s. The PW2000 was a much more modern, improved and fuel efficient design. Similarly the RB211G/H which also powered the 747 was essentially a redesigned variant of the RB211-22B which powered the Tristar. The RB211-535E on the 757 was a new design. These engines have all gone on to create the Trent series, all using the same 3 spool design peculiar to Rolls Royce. The Trent 600 powers the A340-500 and -600.

[@N1njaSnake]

The longer A340s are my favorite airliners out there. Silent, graceful and comfortable, I had the pleasure of flying them in all 3 classes. Amazing planes that I will miss dearly.

[@redpandaz5146]

I've flown on the A340-600 multiple times with Lufthansa and it's an amazing plane, arguably my favorite to travel on.

[@alabama1413]

I flew the A340 twice & it’s the best jet experience I’ve ever had & roomy even in the economy class. I have found the 777 more cramped due to the fact that some airlines wanted 10 abreast seating. Just personal preference but always feel more comfortable in a quad on long haul than a twin.

[@maxart3392]

It isn't about "some airlines", 3-4-3 is now the standard on 777, while 340 never went beyond 2-4-2 (except for a few 330).

[@alabama1413]

@@maxart3392 Precisely why I’d always prefer the A340 over the 777

[@alunesh12345]

Believe in JESUS today, confess and repent of your sins. No one goes to heaven for doing good but by believing in JESUS who died for our sins. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.(John 3:16)❤️😎❤️😎❤️

[@tafnamtaf8909]

Some 777's are 9 abreast seating like on Singapore airlines where the seats are slightly wider , compared to Emirates 777 at 10 abreast

[@markdoan1472]

@@alunesh12345 Good advice ... but an odd place to bring it up lol

[@Daverotherham]

I have occasionally been an A340 passenger. Simply the best plane I have been on. The most striking thing is how smoothly they land , as can be seen in your clip. Worth paying more to fly on one

[@Driver599]

You can judge success and failure in multiple ways but the A340 never had a fatality in its three decades of operation. On another note, I flew a Lufthansa A340-300 registration D-AIFA in star alliance livery, later found out it burned down in Frankfurt airport.

[@a_goblue2023]

To be fair the 777 has had only 3 major accidents and one of those was MH370 and it’s had nearly 6 times the number of planes flying, the A340 was a safe plane but was kinda pointless, it’s design was just kinda ugly, and it was extremely inefficient. But airbus didn’t really learn when making the A380 which ultimately was also a failure, however the A350 has performed much better but still a second place to the 787

[@visionist7]

@@a_goblue2023 get some glasses

[@twillison8824]

@@a_goblue2023 kinda the exact same thought I had in regards to the safety record of the trip7 vs the 340. I'm amazed as well that airbus even built the 380 while 747s round the world Were being replaced with wide body twins. You'd think they'd at least considered making a cargo variant when designing it but no, they dropped the ball there too. Not saying it would be the most cargo friendly design. They're lucky the 320&330 have done so well in sales.

[@peteragbese5562]

@@a_goblue2023 the 777 had MH370 and MH17. Simply hard luck for both Boeing and Malaysia Airlines

[@loko8907rs]

Well A340 had an accident. Air France Flight 358, 2 August 2005. Although everybody escaped alive it was a hull loss...

[@tsnovak20]

A340 was my first transatlantic flight operated by Lufthansa. It was amazing flight, I enjoyed every second of it. The plane is spacious, the flight is smooth and it the size of the wings and looking at two engines swinging under the wing is a sight to see.

[@buttorr]

same i was 7 and flew the a340 from phl to fra then fra to maa. A340 is such an amazing aircraft. I remember I also had seats near the engines on one of the flights. truly amazing seeing those trent 500s roar was so cool. I remember when i came back i would make paper models of the a340. Life was nice then

[@MerkyAviation11]

Flown on the -300 variant once with Air France from Lagos to Paris CDG back 6 years ago and it was a very comfortable experience. It was also loud when sitting at back of the aircraft with it's 4 engines powering up when beginning it take off roll. Edelweiss, Lufthansa and Swiss are still operating those planes so there's still enough time for you to fly them.

[@alunesh12345]

Believe in JESUS today, confess and repent of your sins. No one goes to heaven for doing good but by believing in JESUS who died for our sins. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.(John 3:16)❤️😎❤️😎❤️

[@FrednnardSFM]

@@alunesh12345 confess my balls

[@AA-tz2bm]

air france a340-300 comfortable? Theirs are shoddy as hell, broken seats, ancient in flight entertainment, ugly cabin lights, shitty windows. Im legit so glad they retired the a340-300 and replaced the a330-200 to lagos with the 777-300ER and a350 during winter

[@Grivian]

I flew with the A340 two weeks ago from O'Hare to Frankfurt (Lufthansa). It was a very comfortable flight and a great flying experience in general, including a butter landing. It was also way more quiet than the 747 that I flew to USA with the week before. The engines also has that satisfying humming noise when it spools up that you can also hear on the A330. The interesting thing is that the plane was almost empty, maybe only 20-30 passengers onboard.

[@blairsimpkins3505]

I flew on the South African Airways A340 from Newark to Joburg and it was the smoothest and most comfortable airliner. And yes, 4 engines is always better than 2!

[@aidenpilot3119]

Same here! Flew that route a bunch of times with SAA, as well as to Frankfurt and ATL when SAA served there. Flew the A340-600 on all of those with SAA, beautiful airplane

[@BobRossRightHand]

4 engines are better until you look at fuel and maintenance cost

[@TheGoatMessigician]

@@BobRossRightHand ikr 😄 🤣

[@KanyeTheGayFish69]

How is 4 engines better?

[@TN-jb4jk]

L1011 walks into the room. That was a gentleman’s design coupled with race car performance. Lockheed then was like Tesla as a company led by engineers and not bean counters. Aside this was also proof we need competition as the Boeing/Airbus duopoly stifles innovation.

[@Cataclysm123]

A beautifully smooth flight is my memory of an A340 from Zurich to Hong Kong, back in 2005 with Swiss Air. We got upgraded outbound to business class which was a real treat. However, I'm booked to go to South Africa in April again with Swiss Air and to my great surprise, it's another A340, so very much looking forward to the journey!

[@joselembo4661]

I flew once from São Paulo, Brazil, to Johannesburg, South Africa on the huge A340-600 and it was an awesome experience. That bird is gorgeous!!

[@EpicThe112]

Nice mine was Cathay Pacific A340-600 JFK🇺🇲-HKG🇭🇰 and A340-300 HKG🇭🇰-MNL🇵🇭

[@harvardgrad4411]

As a frequent flyer, I can say that I really like the A-340. Exceptionally comfortable aircraft. Roomy - even in economy class. Comfortable in turbulence. And the full suite of downstairs toilets is an added benefit. I fully recognize the economic downside as compared to the A-330 or Boeing 777. But flying on an A-340 is a lovely passenger experience.

[@maximgastes159]

I love the a340. I flew the A340-300 back in 2018 on Lufthansa from Frankfurt to Martinique. I absolutely loved it. Not only does it look absolutely amazing, but it was very spacious and very quiet (compared to the Boeing 777 roaring. don’t get me wrong i love the GE90 sound but it gets annoying on a 10 hour flight not gonna lie) If you haven’t tried the a340 yet, watch out to book your vacation flight with Lufthansa next time, they are still using some. And btw I loved the video. Keep it up!

[@altacalifornia2580]

I also flew on a Lufthansa A340 from SFO-MUC in 2018. But now Lufthansa uses the A350-900 for this route, not the A340

[@Dan.d649]

The 777 engines don't normally pose any issue once you reach altitude.

[@johnpapworth433]

I flew a VS A340-600 from LHR - Shanghai Pudong in Upper Class.. Was lovely. Once saw one a 340-600 in Airbus colours doing some manoeuvres over Bristol Filton airfield once, really throwing it around the sky

[@arnabpaul2k]

Had flown Lufthansa A340-600 back in 2007. No AVOD but Overhead monitors were still acceptable back then. The real surprise was the downstairs lavatory setup, which was a first for me and I was actually searching for restrooms for quite some time before locating them downstairs. Before A380 came in, I guess this was the first double-decker concept tried out by Airbus. The sheer size of the fuselage was gigantic. 2-4-2 economy setup allowed relaxed seating experience too.

[@justin6581]

Overhead monitors? How was that bearable?

[@travelwithjustin]

Loved flying on the A340-600! What a graceful aircraft.. smooth, quiet, powerful. Also Lufthansa had a great layout with restrooms on the lower level.

[@bradleybprentice1497]

That was an excellent history of the A340. Thanks! This was one of my favorite aircraft as a regular frequent flyer. I flew the A340-300 with Cathay Pacific and the A340-500 with Singapore Airlines. The CX flight I was frequently on was between Hong Kong and Toronto. The Hong Kong - Toronto flight was usually a nonstop but on the return leg to Hong Kong it was necessary to refuel in Anchorage, Alaska due to head winds. However, 3 times the flight stopped in Anchorage for fuel on the way to Toronto due to winds. Flying into Anchorage on a clear sunny day was spectacular. The flight from Toronto to Hong Kong was a night flight so you did not see much of Anchorage during the stop. Depending on the time of year you could see the Northern Lights from the starboard side of the aircraft. Wow, that was a sight. CX replaced the B747-400 on this route with the A340. Now they use a B777. The best flights I had were with Singapore Airlines and their A340-500 from Singapore to Newark non-stop. The longest flight in the world at the time. SIA used the A340-500 until 2013. Initially the configuration was a mix of Business Class and about 100 Premium Economy seats on this long flight. After a couple of years the Premium Economy was eliminated and the configuration converted to just 100 Business Class Suites in the entire aircraft. Mostly business travellers. The demand for Business Class was very high and resulted in the reconfiguration of the aircraft. A Business Class return fare to Newark was approximately USD8500. It was a great flight with outstanding Singapore Airlines service. Because the flight was so long, the aircraft was at maximum weight on take off. The roll out from Singapore and Newark used the full allowable length of the runway and with a slow gradual climb out while configuring the aircraft. The A340 was also very quiet and smooth. I truly miss these flights. The A350-LXR are now plying the same routes and also very good aircraft and are my preferred ride these days.

[@jemez_mtn]

I was working on the ramp in Anchorage in the late 90s when the CX A340s were coming through. I was in love with that elegant plane, and always wanted so bad to be on it heading off to Hong Kong. I never got to, but later ended up traveling on South African (-600), Emirates (-300), and Turkish (-300) A340s. All lovely.

[@axelBr1]

I flew on an SIA A340 from Singapore to LAX or SF (can't remember which), in 2007. In 1996 I flew the same route on a B747 via Seoul and as it was December time nearly froze to death when then they kicked us off the plane to refuel and I was dressed for the temperatures of Singapore and Houston (ultimate destination).

[@EpicThe112]

You are missing the other route for Cathay Pacific A340 operations JFK Airport A340-600. If you are coming towards Hong Kong from New York it's a heavy takeoff due to the people needed and cargo for the connecting flights to Taipei and Manila.

[@bradleybprentice1497]

@@EpicThe112I also flew CX A340’s between Hong Kong and Toronto very often. Eastbound out of Hong Kong it was for the most part a nonstop flight. However, on the return the A340 had to make a technical refueling stop in Anchorage due to headwinds flying westbound

[@CaptainJustice166]

Back in early 2019, my high school senior class and I flew on a South African A340 (a Star Alliance one at that) from New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport (JNB). That was the bulk of our flying (3 flights one-way from Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) to JFK to Maun Airport, 6 flights round trip) but we were bound for Botswana out of JNB. It was a 14 hour flight, 28 hours both ways but to this day, that has been my favorite flight thus far. My group was towards the mid-rear of the aircraft and I sat specifically behind the wings on the left side with a window seat. It was a long but comfortable flight, the food that was served was fairly nice compared to what I’ve had in the past. Just from my experience flying on two A340’s in a combined 28-30 hours, it’s definitely a very capable aircraft and I’m glad to have been lucky enough to fly on it. It’s still one of my favorite aircraft’s to see flying overhead at cruising altitude or taking off/landing at airports. Despite its impending future and its failure due to the time it was developed and released in a ETOPS driven market, there’s no doubt in my mind of the capability of the A340 and that it was likely even ahead of its time when it came out. If I ever have the chance to fly on one again, I’ll gladly take it with zero hesitation.

[@silverwatchdog]

I have done this exact flight 3 times in my life. The A340 is such a nice plane, and was one of the few planes that were capable of doing such a long flight. It's a shame to see that it is pretty much dead (SAA is pretty much dead too).

[@BBandCFProductions]

I have flown the A340-600 for years with SAA. I don’t remember if they still use it but it helped me reunite with my family in Johannesburg. A truly wonderful plane!

[@mwilliams2101]

I was lucky enough to fly onboard a Virgin Atlantic A340-600 between Sydney and Hong Kong many years ago, and it quickly became my favourite aircraft. Smooth, quiet, an absolute delight.

[@gabicostea7551]

A 340 is still my preffered aircraft. Many times flying from Atlanta to Paris I was looking for the A 340 operated by Air France even if my ticket had a Delta Flight number. The aircraft is very silent, the seats are more comfortable, there is more space and I just loved the feet support. The last time I flew an A 340 was in 2019 from Paris to Cairo (operated by Joon Airlines just before they merged with Air France). I miss A 340!

[@davidyardley512]

Flew A340-600 on Virgin from Heathrow to Shanghai in 2007. Strange cabin design but a very comfortable flying experience. I am so pleased I got to fly on one of these rare birds.

[@williambliss6087]

I used to fly Lufthansa A340s between Frankfurt and the U.S. The plane had a bank of rest rooms downstairs from the main cabin in a sort of alcove with several doors leading off of the alcove. On long flights, you could go down there and walk the alcove to get a little exercise. No other aircraft in the fleet had this perk.

[@azariacba]

The A330 has/had this too. I've experienced this in Lufthansa A330s.

[@christophermondoux8408]

Flew it 3X…twice in 2003 and once last month. And it was a struggle to find a flight with a -300 in 2022. Plane takes off like a bowling ball, but the satisfaction of looking out and seeing 2 engines on a single deck in ‘22 is worth the sacrifice. Even got to sit up front once we arrived!

[@albomaa]

I once flew in the A340-600 between New York and Madrid with Iberia and it was the best transatlantic flight I have ever done, and the window view of 4 engines was very special despite 3 out of the 6 transatlantic flight I have ever done were on quad jets

[@andreahighsmith636]

Iberia flew over 40 A340 (300 and 600 series) for many years. Probably one of the major A340 fleets in Europe. They operated difficult airfields in South America without a single passenger injured. Only a runway excursion in Quito...

[@jonw4743]

My grandfather was the Captain on TWA’s first-ever 767 extended ETOPS flight and I LOVE that you made that shout out. He sadly passed away a couple years ago and this just makes me so happy

[@raytheonbuna1021]

I flew A340 SWISS from Zurich to Bangkok in March. Every thing about the flight was superb. 🙂

[@AjiVisuals]

I have flown on the all black Hi-Fly A340 from Antalya, Turkey to Eindhoven in The Netherlands. It was probably the most exciting flight of my life. The plane itself was a beauty. It was the first time ever for me seeing the A340. I hope I get the chance again to fly on one in the near future. 🙏🏽

[@spiff56747]

One of my favorite aircraft. Probably has been mentioned but LH has/had the bathrooms downstairs in their a346. Great idea for passenger comfort and fairly unique I believe.

[@larissaa3465]

The A340, even more the A340-600 is absolutely and by far the most amazing aircraft! And that wingview of it is breathtaking!

[@GameTime-yw9ml]

I flew on the a340 a couple of times between Chicago and Amman and I loved it, the seating was comfortable and had plenty of leg space. The airplane was replaced by the 787 Dreamliner and Even though I love the 787, I wish I could have flown on the a340 a couple more times

[@NihaoPT]

I'm proud to wear an A340 pin on my uniform jacket as it was an A340 that started my CC career and my dad was an engineer on TAP's old fleet. I have the honour of flying them from time to time, although mostly in cargo nowadays. They're the most beautiful, elegant birds in the sky!

[@DarkLordApocalypse]

Absolute badass design, had a privilege to fly as a passenger a couple of times, needs a comeback ❤

[@TheRipperxX9]

I remember when I was a kid I was at a waterpark near Madrid Spain, my home city, when I heard a deafening sound coming from the sky and then I looked up and I saw that beautiful beast on that old-school Iberia livery roaring through the clouds. I guess it had just taken off from Madrid Barajas Airport given the location of the waterpark near the airport but I still noticed back then that it was flying much lower than most planes usually do a few minutes after takeoff. Totally distinguishable plane. Caught my attention like no other plane for a few seconds. Crazy proportions and just a beautiful piece of engineering despite its bad luck. 4-engine planes will always look better than twinjets.

[@patagard8253]

I've flown on the A340-600 several times. Absolute smooth experience....great aircraft

[@osin73]

I flew the Iberia's 340-600 for almos a decade MAD-MEX and loved every time. For the time was very quiet and comfortable. It was always a good feeling knowing you have 4 engines in the middle of the Atlantic.

[@jonaskoturenka6681]

I flew the A343 from SAN to FRA a while back. Nice to have that experience but my A380 flight from FRA to LAX a few days before was definitely better from a comfort perspective

[@kencarp57]

I have only flown on the A340 twice. We flew an A340 from Atlanta to Paris in 2005. The originating flight was fine, but the return flight had mechanical issues and we waited over 8 hours in Paris. They finally brought a different A340 for the return flight to ATL. I remember the actual flights were very nice and quite comfortable.

[@YHDiamond]

Hey Coby! So nice you see you got a sponsor! Keep it up! Also please stream more, it was super fun!

[@cobyexplanes]

I plan on it ◡̈

[@xGatoDelFuegox]

The a300 was actually the first aircraft that received etops certification for 90 minute single engine flight. They were a pioneerfor twinjets

[@MrCommunistGen]

I've flown on an A340 on Philippine Airlines (PAL) a handful of times on a domestic route that's also covered by an A330. The flight never seems that full, so I imagine they're using the added payload capacity of the A340 for carrying domestic cargo.

[@Jim1971a]

I’ve flown many times on the a340. To me, it felt sluggish, with a weak takeoff. Then I started getting placed on the new a350 for the same routes. That plane is a powerhouse. I love it.

[@zuhayrdalwai1107]

Only had the privilege of flying on the a340 once, but it was a flight I'd never forget. It's so gracefully long, and the interior is white and bright. The most modern feeling plane, and so smooth despite its size

[@lulakacontreras3520]

I've flown the a340 from Guatemala city, to Mexico city to Madrid in Spain and it was the most confortable plane experience ever. The thing does not accelerate too much (it's underpowered) so it makes for a smooth take off and landing and the pilot from Iberia was so excelent that it was imposible to tell when we had touch down.

[@bryanswain8720]

I was finally able to experience a flight on an A340 last year with Swiss. It was only an hour and a half flight from ZRH to LHR but it was a great experience on a very nice aircraft. The best part of the flight was the crew, they offered fantastic and very friendly service on our short hop.

[@DavidSchilter]

Nice! I've the that route quite a few times to visit family back in Switzerland. Only ever got the A320 though. A couple times I went to LCY instead and enjoyed the smaller 220 (I don't think larger planes can land at London City).

[@kevintaylor31]

I worked on the A340-300 and the A340-600 for many, many years. In fact my company was the launch customer for the A340-600. I even proposed to my wife on an A340-300 in the upper class section of the plane before we took off. The service we got from the crew was exemplary after that! I've flown many, many times on both variants and the 600 is my preferred plane although sitting in the back (Not something I've often done as I usually turn left when boarding) can get a bit whippy in turbulence. High power ground runs on the inboard engines is always fun as the nose gear bounces all over the show. When the 600 entered service we had a hell of a time with the centre gear and it wasn't until the hydraulics for it were modified on the rear bulkhead of the centre gear bay that they became reliable. The gear retraction of an A340-600 is a thing of engineering beauty by the way with the main legs shortening as they retract and the centre gear performing an undercarriage origami excercise The A340-300 was very underpowered and had problems at high altitude airports like Johannesburg but became a very reliable aircraft towards the end of it's career with the airline I work for. I miss the A340-600 but the fuel burn just doesn't make it feasible to run anymore, which is a shame as it's a beautiful aircraft.

[@JCVM_VM]

Used to travel a lot to Europe f/latin america and always preferred flying with Lufthansa as they were servicing my route CCS-FRA with an A340. Loved this plane and always felt safe flying over night over the Atlantic with those four engines rocking. Nice plane and airline BTW 😃

[@ehabs07]

I’ve flown the A340 on Virgin Atlantic in 2010 on the Heathrow-JFK route. It was my first trip to the US. 2 years later I’ve moved to the states. As someone who’s previously flown the B777 and A330 numerous times on the Beirut-Riyadh route, I found the plane to be very special! I knew I was flying a special plane back then (now even more special). I loved the 4-engine configuration on an A330 style plane, and at the time it was the only 4-engine plane that was really in service aside from the B747. The A380 was just beginning service and to see one was hard, let alone to be on one. On the inside, it felt very similar to the A330, but that particular trip is carved in my memory for many reasons, with the plane being the A340 being a big part of it!

[@michaelgoetze2103]

There is just something sexy about 4 engines, in particular the larger diameters of the 500 and 600. I really like the 2-4-2 layout in economy.

[@Kalvinjj]

Yes, the -200 and -300 variants with the smaller engines sorta feel like a bigger 707, the engines seem too small for the plane. The monsters of the -500 and -600 ones make it really imposing and seem as big as it is.

[@amtrakdude432]

lol

[@ActionJackson8888]

We flew from LAX to Tahiti on the A340, it took a long take off roll but the 8 hour trip did not seem arduous. We were way at he back in coach but the seats reclined well and were more comfortable than on a recent American Airlines flight in first class. AA have adopted hard plastic seats for business/first seat, which set a new low bar for passenger comfort.

[@dewiz9596]

Yeah. The DC-10 wasn’t unlucky. Just the passengers flying on it. . . As a former single-engine pilot, with the knowledge that transitioning to multi-engine was “just” about learning how to fly a twin on one engine. With that in mind, I’ve always felt that, if you’re going to have more than one engine, go for as many as you can get. Unfortunately, I’ve had a hard time getting my hands on a B52😀

[@shrimpflea]

The DC-10 actually had a pretty good safety record overall compared to other planes. The problem was the crashes were horrific and high profile.

[@LimeHasYoutubee44]

ive been on an Thai a340 back in 2018 when I was going from london-bangkok, really great experience and honestly I love the a340

[@brandan648]

I’ve flown on the emirates a340-500 and that was an amazing experience very nice aircraft but also was a very rare experience considering the -500 wasn’t that common definitely would recommend if you can catch a flight on one I know there is a few a340-300s still flying out there

[@lesliehlatshwayo7236]

It is the gentle giant of the sky; words are not enough to explain the beauty of flying in an A340. We flew South African Airways in an A340-600 2011 Johannesburg to London and back; also flew on an A340-300 in 2009, short haul, Durban to Johannesburg. Have flown in a British Airways A380 and 747, Johannesburg to/from London in 2019, also great giants but the A340-600 always has a soft spot in my heart.

[@dewiz9596]

I actually flew across Canada in the A340. . . In the cockpit, back in 1999. The Captain wanted to see my Garmin 195. Airlines were still pre-GPS

[@alunesh12345]

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[@CyberSystemOverload]

@@alunesh12345 what about Thor? You see? Repent and you'll get his winged helmet and be rewarded. You see, anyone can point to fairy tales. Are you repenting yet, please repent, Hurry up and repent.

[@alanferguson3376]

@@alunesh12345 K

[@christiangranum7387]

I’ve flown the SAS A340 tons of times between Copenhagen and Tokyo, and a couple of times to Beijing as well. There was always something special about the view over the wings when there was 2 engines there instead of 1. Made the flight feel a bit more long-haul (although I love the 777 and A350 as well) than with a twin-engine.

[@pflaffik]

All my great long haul flight been on 777, 747 not bad either. Suffered in A340 above 40,000 ft, too low cabin pressure, noone could sleep and just felt exhausted. People who saw us disembarking must have thought we had a great flight because everyone was so happy to get out of there. People who had a great flight are sad its over, thats why 777 passengers dont look quite as happy. BUT worst flights are in 787's, when meals are pre-made months ahead and microwaved onboard instead of fresh made and kept warm onboard, thats a recipe for horror, and when you think it cannot get worse they serve microwaved sandwiches for late night snacks, almost threw up from the smell alone but managed to read the label of production date and expiry date, they were 3 months apart.

[@stephenjones9246]

Arguably the most elegant modern airliner, those evenly spaced Trent 500s on the later variants gave the A430 a balanced and purposeful look. My last trip on the type was with Lufthansa in economy class, reasonable comfort in economy thanks to the 2-4-2 layout.

[@helstrom1238]

The AirPort at 1:04 is my local airport. I live in a small town in Norway 😅. The airports name is kjevik and the airline is called Widerøe😁

[@breadmaster101]

My experience on an a340 was a quiet widebody, despite the 4 engines. It was also very comfortable.

[@wazzer2348]

Exactly what I came here to write, they were exceptionally quiet and very comfortable. In the late 90's early 2000's I did a lot of flying between NZ and Europe via Singapore and enjoyed the Lufthansa A340 as I could always get a good nights sleep. Of course in the days before noise cancelling headphones.

[@mikefue9597]

Flew LH 330 or 340 from FRAnkfurt to Bogota, most pleasent flight ever. The toilets on the lower level was the best feature. Nobody would get annoyed by sitting nearby. Extremly spacious too.

[@garethonthetube]

A330 has been developed into a successful tanker. The wings already have the hardpoints and fuel lines available (due to the missing 2 engines) to mount the refuelling equipment. Presently at work near Ukraine, along with Boeing KC135s and KC10s

[@UriahHeep100]

Have to agree, the A340 was unique and fantastic in every respect, and it’s performance and safety unmatched. Flown in LH, SwissAir, Cathay & Singapore liveries. Up there with the 727 as the most stunningly beautiful aircraft ever built. As one Captain whom I knew well (also flew F4’s in Vietnam, the military aircraft worthy of the same crowns in all aspects) and Chad 1000’s of hours on both types, liked to say the 727 and A340 looked fast just standing still on the tarmac! Had to agree!

[@martingodske3301]

I love the look of the A340-300, but the -600 might be the most beautiful aircraft ever. Love the huge engines and the long fuselage

[@bburkie55]

Agreed, it's not just a passenger airliner, it's a work of art.

[@pstwng1085]

I flew TG A340 from Bangkok to Los Angeles and New York each flight. The flight to New York was 18 hrs non-stop; it was the longest flight I had flown in my life. There were 3 sets of air crew on board. The TG North American flights were history. Amazing experience

[@RedLP5000S]

I simply adore the A340-600. Especially in the 80s/90s Iberia livery.👌🏻

[@nuandlarry]

I flew an a340 from LAX to SIN in 2005. 2 things I still vividly remember: first, the entire plane was business class. Every seat was the same. Second, while the seats were lie-flat, they didn't recline into a bed. Instead, when you wanted to sleep, the seat would fold forward, and there was a mattress on the back. You would stand up out of your seat, and the flight attendant would fold it down and make the bed with sheets and a blanket.

[@cobyexplanes]

Ugh jealous must have been such a trip

[@KevinEnjoyer]

The plane I flew was like any other. A big boy with 4 engines under the wings. The plane was smooth, quiet, and it was an okay experience between Copenhagen and Shanghai. Coming home, though, the A340 I flew had a weird little quirk. While taxiing, something that sounded a pump sounded every few seconds. If anything, it sounded like a pump being uncompressed.

[@jschudel777]

These are hydraulic pumps for actuators. Many moving parts on those wings.

[@visionist7]

Officially the A340 lacks a PTU (Power Transfer Unit - AKA the Airbus barking dog) but I've seen one cockpit manual that shows a PTU switch. It might have been a prototype thing.

[@jonashellgren3895]

I flew on the Lufthansa A340 a few times between Germany and Boston. My favorite aircraft. Best of all is how they moved all the bathrooms to the cargo level. No bathroom lines in the aisle!

[@parinceo]

I flew Lufthansa A340-300. In a way, it was exactly the same as A330-300, size, passenger capacity, etc. However, it was very quiet and smooth compared to the A330. Probably with the 4 engines it means that each of them can operate at a much lower output and therefore it is much more quieter. A340-600 though is one of the most beautiful plane imo.

[@ederss7]

Quadri-jets are more comfortable than twins because of the four engines. The flight is smoother.

[@sergiolaurencio7534]

@@ederss7 probably because of the 4 engine, the truth is reduced and also made for more quit. That is why the 340-600, the 747, and the 380 are so good. But again, the world is changing and 2 engine are better doe economics and the environment and whit the 321xlr even smaller coming, aviation is getting down( in a way)

[@Raminagrobisfr]

A funny side note : the A330 and A340 shared the same wing. So, the wings of the A330 could, structurally, receive two more engines. This was valuable for the A330 MRTT : the two unused engine spots were used for aerial refueling points.

[@GlamorousTitanic21]

The A340 is one of my absolute favorite wide-body jets

[@alexp3752]

Retired airline EVP (Technic)... Years ago when visiting the Paris Air Show, I was stunned when treated to my first sight of the A340-600. I will never forget my first impression. I said to my friends, "That is the most beautiful aircraft I have ever seen!". 50 years of following aircraft, that's quite a statement. Long, beautiful, graceful and clean, i remember the demonstration pilots during professional days giving the assembled multitude their shows. Fantastic! Even thinking of it today brings a smile to my face. I bought our airline fleet from Boeing and Douglas. Douglas will always have a special place in my heart as I had an office in Long Beach for many years. Even before my time, stretch DC-8's are still a wonder to behold. Following the Boeing/Douglas merger, my favorite plane I would want for myself, if I could afford it, would be the B-717(MD-95). Yes, that's a Douglas plane, but Boeing refined the assembly process even further. I met the professor who designed the RR/BMW engines, and saw the aircraft produced on the line that was innovative, clean and impressive. With 100 pax capacity, in my view, with extra tanks this would be the perfect personal and corporate jet! Like everyone else, if I only had the money!

[@frankb3178]

The only complaint I ever heard about this plane from the industry, though maybe there were others, was fuel ineffeciency. Why was that never addressed and modifications made? I assume the ineffeciency was engine based, not stuctural in nature. Flew this plane on the Singapore long haul from Newark to Singapore and once Virgin Atlantic JFK to LHR. Beautiful plane.

[@cobyexplanes]

Even using todays most efficient turbofans like the Trent 7000 wouldn’t make a big difference. More engines means way more weight and more maintenance. So upgrading it once etops was introduced wouldn’t make much sense

[@sthill1993]

The most effective way to reduce fuel consumption (without making a new aircraft) on the A340 was to make it a twin, so essentially: make an A330, which is what happened. Doesn't have the same capability, but it doesn't really need to.

[@hernanbarski814]

Very interesting video! I was lucky to fly on a Virgin Atlantic A340-600 (very looong plane) from MIA to LHR in late 2017. Absolutely loved the experience.

[@kkrsnn5632]

2-4-2 on a A330/340 unbeatable. Many A340 flights, 4 engines 😁 on KU and LH. A340-500 best looking 😍

[@finn.linn.1250]

its cramped as hell. I mean I'm a big guy 6'1 180lbs but still. It was really tight.

[@Olliemets]

Enjoyed this. Thanks. I flew Lufthansa from Munich to Newark last summer on a 340. Really enjoyed the flight and have been into them ever since. Very comfortable ride. Loved the lower deck layout of the restrooms. Hadn't realized it was a multi decked aircraft. Truly a victim of poor timing but happy to have been able to take one.

[@TrentEngineFan]

A340-600 Has one of the best safety records in history!

[@RALewis1234]

Thats why im confused on why it's the most unlucky plane. I can name many planes that are more unlucky than this.

[@sergiolaurencio7534]

actually, it has an accident. Take a look at Iberia flight IB6463.

[@epicseadragon1692]

I just discovered your channel. I remember flying a A340 a few years ago. It was a good experience from what I remember. And that always feels special to fly a 4-engine aircraft in a market dominated by 2-engine planes.

[@vincezab1]

I used to fly Etihad’s A340s from JFK to Abu Dhabi. At that time Etihad was the best airline in the world and the experience was just fantastic. The pilots would take it to its service ceiling over Mosul to try to help avoid the SAMs. I knew e wer getting close to Abu Dhabi when I heard the engines scream as we did a steep climb. Good times.

[@MrMond-gc4rv]

The a340-600 is my absolute favourite airplane.... so this truth hits really hard xD

[@r12004rewy]

Just love the A340 flew on a Virgin 340 some years ago from DC to LHR, I think only 60+ passengers on board, a stunning aircraft and yet another Airbus not operated by any American carriers. Lufthansa are still flying them from Germany to I think Boston but only until next year. Personally the 2nd best looking passenger aircraft of all time (Concorde being number 1)

[@Musikur]

Nah, I think both the A350, B787 and B757 have an edge in looks

[@r12004rewy]

@@Musikur your opinion but the A340 is a proper looking aircraft with 4 engines none of the wimpy 2 engine jets :)

[@AA-tz2bm]

@@r12004rewy wimpy? the a350 and 787 look stocky compared to the a340. But i agree the a340 looks quite beautiful

[@juancalondono]

Hello Coby. Good evening. Great analysis. I have flown the dash 300 in Air France CDG to BOG, the dash 500 EWR-SIN-EWR and the dash 600 JFK-MAD. The throttle up has the bouncy 4 engine heavy feel. Slats retract only after several minutes contrary to its twin brother the A330. During cruise and landing I didnt notice much difference . The front rows render the view of the two engines a perspective nothing shy than imposing. Regards. -JC

[@danielharbyy]

The a340 may be one of my favourite looking planes, Something about the presents of 4 engines contrasting the size (compared to the likes of an a380 or 747) of the main body makes me love it

[@evanchilders2916]

I had the fortune of flying a SAS A340-300 between CPH and EWR in 2018. The flight experience wasn’t anything notable, but the beautiful scenery above Iceland and Greenland combined with the beautiful a340 made it a memorable journey :)

[@lukeboyd3226]

Nobody at Airbus would blame the A340's underperformance on "luck". They need to design a plane not for the current environment but for the future one, which they of course did; Unfortunately, their prediction for the future regarding ETOPS regulations was wrong, resulting in poor sales.

[@echt114]

Just another way of saying luck while strangely refusing to call it luck.

[@peterfinn6098]

It was more sabotaged

[@BadAssEngineering]

I flew on an Ibérica A340 on a round trip to Madrid from Mexico, and it was glorious! I have normally flown on smaller A320s on short regional trips, and it Is like comparing traveling on a Honda Civic vs a Bus with air ride. The size and weight of the A340 makes it super stable for a delightful ride.

[@snoozeCTRL]

If you flew a A330 you’d have an idea how the -40 feels. To this day the smoothest flight I’ve ever had was on board an A340

[@budawang77]

When I flew an a340 back in the 90s I was very impressed by its quietness. Far quieter than any of its rivals.

[@RK870XK]

To put it simply, the B767 flies a bit too soon and ETOPS extension kicks in

[@Bob-nc5hz]

TBF Airbus was very proficient at ETOPS as well, the 310 got ETOPS 120 just a few months after the 767, and the A330 was the first type to get cleared for ETOPS 240. As the video says, the A340 was really unlucky, but since most of the program was shared between 330 and 340 (to the extent that as A330 gained better ETOPS certs Airbus told operators they were interchangeable) it wasn't a deadly loss (unlike Flight 129) it was largely a matter of prioritization: early on the A340 was prioritized, but in the end they entered service less than a year apart. Also A340 broke a bunch of world records which did a lot for Airbus' image, even if it wasn't that great a seller.

[@RK870XK]

@@Bob-nc5hz indeed, I mean, the A340's existence looking at the timeline meant that it was already pointless to even sell it

[@bingyugao2197]

The one I flown is 340-600 if remembered correctly with Lufthansa from Munich to Beijing. Extremely comfortable and quiet also gives the secured feeling of having 4engines

[@russellvk]

I've flown a South African Airways A340. It was very rattly. That might have more to do with the airline rather than the A340 itself.

[@GeoStreber]

Yeah that makes sense. it's like flying Aeroflot and then wondering why there's loose bolts all over your runway.

[@ptk0242]

flown A340 few times on the longest route: Singapore - Newark, which use to cross north pole I think. Really smooth, comfortable 17-18hrs and enjoyed it!

[@celobelomeu]

IBERIA A340-600 economy the best I ever flew with the widest seats and roomy cabin 2-4-2 layout, and still in the air today thanksgoodness!