AirBlue to Get Two Airbus A340-300s on Lease from ILFC

[incognitopk]

@ pk757 i don't want to say but it is true that above 90 % of all people join these organizations(PIA, Pakistan Railway Etc) just to have liberty out of it and they don't want to serve them as they are suppose to do. i am no servant of PK or ED, we (general public)
love to see health competition between airlines not for better prices but for better services, better aircraft, better safety, better reliability.

my personal experience with PIA is never been good and always great with ED so i would love to see more aircraft's in there fleet because when they will have more aircraft's they will offer me more flexibility and destination. its a cried out loud thing that a320 or 737-700, 737-800 fuel efficient low maintenance aircraft but still they are overlooking and sticking to there old beauties and resulting poor collection in revenue.

i see people around me when they are on another airline like Emirates, Etihad, Qatar etc they behave well but when it comes to PIA or other pakistani airline they act like GIANTS.

if airblue is taking such huge step then we should appreciate there effort not argue on there current level of services which much much better to me.

any ways em not against PK or in favor of ED. would love to see 787's 777's 350's 330's in pia livery inshallah .

[Lufthansa Cargo]

Any new information in regards to this topic?

[Moin]

Yes now supposedly Sept-Oct.

[Lufthansa Cargo]

Yes now supposedly Sept-Oct.

Insha Allah! Hopefully this will happen.

[divine]

Any info about the destinations that will be added to the Airblue network?

[Jacobin777]

Will they be A343's? Those are rather cheap.

I would have still preferred Airblue getting A333's instead.

[Moin]

Yes 2 ex-TK A340-300. A330's are much more expensive to lease/acquire as opposed to the A343.

[faisal-777]

My mamu who is pilot in Airblue also confirmed A340 is arriving in 2-3 months time from Turkey. According to him he saw that aircraft in Turkey undergoing heavy maintenance checks.

[umar744]

hello salam all

I like fly Airbus A340-200 & A340-300 quite less noise engine better than A330-300 engine noise.

Last three weeks ago I flew LX Swiss Airlines A340-300 from Zurich to Bangkok in Business Class near Ecomony Class it very good comfortable and I enjoyed good time.

Last two weeks ago I flew Thai Airways A330-300 Pratt & Whintey noise in Business Class and A330-300 Rolls Royce engine bad noise in Business Class but I flew Airbus A340-500 HS-TLD BKK-LHR last week very good better than A340-600.

Up to AirBlue like choice A340 mubarak good luck

[Abbas Ali]

My mamu who is pilot in Airblue also confirmed A340 is arriving in 2-3 months time from Turkey. According to him he saw that aircraft in Turkey undergoing heavy maintenance checks.

Aircraft probably undergoing D-Check and will get painted in AirBlue colours instead of Turkish Airlines after completion of maintenance work?

Is AirBlue also going to send its pilots to Turkey for A340 training/conversion course?

Abbas

[Amaad Lone]

A couple of years ago Emirates pilots told me that A320 and A330/340 have same cockpit.

you dont need pilot conversion.

[Abbas Ali]

^ I know those Airbus aircraft have cockpit commonality.

Apparently correct term for the training course is called Cross Crew Qualification (CCQ) and I found following info on the web:

CCQ to A330 or A340 from A320

Cross Crew Qualification from A320 to A330 or A340

The A330 or A340 Cross Crew Qualification (CCQ) course is applicable for pilots endorsed on the A320 and transferring to the A330 or A340 aircraft.

Entry Requirements
• Qualified on A320 prior to the start of the course
• A minimum of 3 months and 150 hours experience on A320

Training schedule

Phase 1-Theoretical Knowledge Training
5 days CBT / WBT Aircraft Systems Training, Performance Course, FMGS Training instructor led

Phase 2 - Synthetic Flight Training
3 Sessions Full Flight Simulator Training (12 hrs.)

Phase 3 - Type Rating Skill Test
1 Session Full Flight Simulator (4 hrs)

Source: www.jetstream.gr

Abbas

[raihans]

So, this news is still a rumor or becoming reality in 2 ~ 3 months?

Moreover, i checked airfleets.net website and found that TK has 9 A343s out of which 1 (-JIJ) is in storage since March 2012.

[Yasir Airways]

I can't wait to see an A340-300 in AirBlues livery ^_^... =D>

[faisal-777]

My mamu who is pilot in Airblue also confirmed A340 is arriving in 2-3 months time from Turkey. According to him he saw that aircraft in Turkey undergoing heavy maintenance checks.

Aircraft probably undergoing D-Check and will get painted in AirBlue colours instead of Turkish Airlines after completion of maintenance work?

Is AirBlue also going to send its pilots to Turkey for A340 training/conversion course?

Abbas

Abbas bhai according to him, he can fly any Airbus aircraft including A330,A340 after just 6 days of training. Since Airbus cockpits have a bounty of being similar no matter what is the type or variant, it takes little time to transit from one Airbus to another one. Currently he can fly A319/320/321 all without any need of training.

Regarding D-check, I did not ask more details but he said "jahaz khula para tha turkey mai dekha hai kuch days pehle. Now I am no expert to predict what is being done with that aircraft