Bryan McAllister’s personal reference notebook
July 30, 2026Short & citedBlog
Civic Viewpoint.
A quiet encyclopedia with a personal desk
Kept by Bryan McAllister — short guides, clear facts, and the Canadian angle when it matters.
How It Works • Aviation

Airbus A340

The Airbus A340 is a long-range, wide-body passenger airliner developed and produced by Airbus.

Updated July 30, 20261 min readCited sources

The Airbus A340 is a long-range, wide-body passenger airliner with four engines, developed by Airbus. It entered service in 1993 and was produced until 2011.

What it is

The A340 is a four-engine wide-body jet designed for long-haul routes. It was Airbus’s first long-range airliner, developed alongside the A330 program. The first flight took place on 25 October 1991, and the type entered commercial service in 1993.

Key details

The family includes variants A340-200, -300, -500, and -600. A total of 380 were built, with 377 delivered. By December 2021, the A340 had completed over 2.5 million flights and carried over 600 million passengers. It has had no fatal accidents in commercial service.

Why it matters

The A340 has operated with Canadian airlines and at Canadian airports, making it relevant to Canadian aviation history. Although production ended in 2011 and the active fleet has declined, the type remains notable for its long-haul capability and strong safety record.

In short

  • Airbus’s first long-range airliner, with four engines.
  • Produced from 1991 to 2011; 380 built.
  • No fatal accidents in commercial service.
  • Over 600 million passengers carried by December 2021.
Canadian angle

The A340 has operated with Canadian airlines and at Canadian airports in international long-haul service, making it relevant to Canadian aviation history and fleet operations.

Quick questions

What is the Airbus A340?
A long-range, wide-body passenger airliner built by Airbus and powered by four turbofan engines.
When did the A340 first fly?
The A340 first flew on 25 October 1991.
When was the A340 in production?
It was produced from 1991 to 2011.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbus_A340
    Supports: General description, first long-range Airbus, four-engine wide-body design, service history, fleet performance figures.
  2. Wikipedia (French) — https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbus_A340
    Supports: Production dates, aircraft family overview.
  3. Wikipedia (German) — https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbus_A340
    Supports: First flight date, fly-by-wire milestone, delivered and in-service counts.
  4. Lufthansa Group — https://www.lufthansagroup.com/en/company/fleet/lufthansa-and-regional-partners/airbus-a340-600.html
    Supports: A340-600 dimensions, range, seating capacity, and aircraft length.