OO-ABG, Air Belgium’s first of two Airbus A330-900s, has been painted in Toulouse in full livery. These new aircraft will gradually replace two Air Belgium A340s. The first A330neo will fly every Tuesday and Friday from Brussels Airport to Mauritius as of 15 October 2021.
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Powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, Air Belgium’s A330neos are configured in 3 classes (Business, Premium and Eco) and carry 286 passengers compared to 265 on the current A340s. The first A330neo will be introduced between Brussels Airport and Mauritius on 15 October 2021. The second aircraft will enter service by the end of November and will reinforce the 2021/2022 winter destination programme.
“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%”, said Niky Terzakis, CEO of Air Belgium.
“We are glad that Air Belgium recognises 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. For this reason, the A330 Family is the world’s most popular wide-body aircraft, with 1,500 A330s delivered, and has been the most used long-haul aircraft during the pandemic,” said Christian Scherer, Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Airbus International.