Hawaiian Airlines has expanded its fleet by signing a purchase agreement for six Airbus A330-800neo aircraft as part of a strategy to support growth and improve efficiency. Powered by the recently introduced Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, these wide-body jets are comparable in size to Hawaiian’s A330-200s and will be configured to seat 294 passengers in a two-class layout. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2019.
“The A330-800neo is an aircraft that meets all of our needs,” said Mark Dunkerley, president and CEO of Hawaiian Airlines. “It is the right size, with the right range and operating costs, and it shares substantial commonality with our existing A330-200 fleet. Our customers and crew appreciate the aircraft, and we are pleased that it will remain Hawaiian’s wide-body workhorse for years to come.”
At the time of the agreement, Hawaiian operated a fleet of 50 aircraft. The carrier also had other outstanding orders, including three additional A330-200s expected for delivery in 2015 and a set of 16 narrow-body Airbus A321neo aircraft scheduled to arrive beginning in 2017.