Airlines Air Belgium acquires two Airbus A330-900s

Air Belgium has announced, that it has signed a purchase agreement with European aircraft manufacturer Airbus. In total, the carrier is set to receive two state-of-the-art Airbus A330-900 aircraft, which were originally planned for Air Berlin.

The new aircraft will replace the aging Airbus A340-300 aircraft, of which Air Belgium has three in its fleet. The aircraft are around 14 years old and the introduction of the NEO A330s would significantly reduce the fleet age and would make operations more sustainable and cost efficient.

Delivery for the first A330-900 is expected to take place this autumn, with the second one expected to be following at the end of November. Air Belgium will use the first NEO on a new route between Brussels Airport and Mauritius, starting in mid-October.

Niky Terzakis, CEO of Air Belgium, said: "Air Belgium is very happy and proud to present these new aircraft in Belgium. They are the most modern aircraft that will operate under the Belgian flag. We are very pleased by our experience operating the Airbus A340s, demonstrating reliability, comfort and performance. With the A330neos customers will directly benefit from even greater comfort and superior service on board, while reducing our environmental impact by 25%."

Christian Scherer, Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Airbus International, added: "We are glad that Air Belgium recognizes the productivity and flexibility advantages of the A330neo, setting it up as the best-in-class and most cost-effective aircraft for the airline's long-haul network. Thanks to a maximum range of 8,150 nautical miles and a 25 % fuel reduction and lower CO2 emissions compared to previous generation aircraft, the A330neo is the ideal fit for airlines to overcome the crisis and meet the demand of passengers eager to fly again."

The A330neo of Air Belgium will be equipped with Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, which are benefiting from the newest technologies developed for the A350 and are more fuel efficient as stated by the representatives.

With a three-class configuration, Air Belgium will be able to accommodate 286 passengers onboard of its A330-900s, over 20 more compared to the current A340-300 seat configuration. The three classes will be Business Class, Premium and Economy Class.