Airbus A340-211

The Airbus A340‑211 is the original long‑range variant of the A340 family, launched by Airbus SAS in the early 1990s to compete with Boeing’s 747 and 777. The first flight took place on 25 October 1991 and the aircraft entered commercial service with Lufthansa on 5 March 1994. Powered by four CFM International CFM56‑5C turbofan engines, the A340‑211 can cruise at Mach 0.86 and carry up to 295 passengers in a typical three‑class layout over distances of roughly 13,500 km (7,300 nmi). Its four‑engine configuration offered airlines flexibility to operate nonstop routes from airports with runway length or noise restrictions that limited twin‑engine aircraft. The type featured a wide‑body, fly‑by‑wire flight deck common to the Airbus lineup, advanced avionics, and a high‑efficiency wing design that reduced fuel burn compared with earlier generations. Although later superseded by more economical twin‑engine models, the A340‑211 demonstrated the viability of four‑engine long‑haul jets in a deregulated market, helped Airbus gain credibility in the ultra‑long‑range segment, and paved the way for subsequent A340 improvements and the later A350 family. Today a few A340‑211s remain in service, primarily on charter and cargo routes, illustrating the type’s enduring reliability and the legacy of Airbus’s early four‑engine ambition.