This month sees a milestone in the history of Cyprus Airways; the two Airbus A330 of our fleet are in the process of leaving the company. This has accelerated the scheduled and of their lease contract as the cost of their operation is not profitable for Cyprus Airways. 

As part of the reorganization, the company has decided to replace the A330 with A321 aircraft. Delivery is expected in mid 2012. The A321 is expected to contribute to the overall restructuring efforts of Cyprus Airways and bring savings mainly because it is compatible with the rest of our fleet, as it is part of the same family as the A319 and A320.

The two A330’s were received in December 2002 and January 2003, after the sale of the A310, and replaced it to main destinations in the UK, Paris and Amsterdam. Their upgraded cabin offered 30 seats in Business Class and 265 in Economy Class, with state-of-the-art equipment such as personal screens for in-flight entertainment, along with more space and greater comfort, passengers enjoyed a richer flying experience. The aircraft also contributed to the transport of cargo due to their ability to transport heavier items.

The fact that the cockpit was developed from the systems of the A320 family was a positive element for training the company’s engineers and pilots. The engines of the A330 Rolls Royce Trent were fairly reliable, bearing in mind that the A330 was designed for long haul flights.

The increased cost of using the A330 came about in the last four years mainly because fuel prices skyrocketed due to the global economic downturn. This combined with significantly increased airport fees, passenger service costs and competition from other airlines – particularly low cost ones.

In order for the A330 to be cost effective, it needs to be used on long haul flights – something that has only just been accomplished in the last quarter of flight operations with a contract for the transport of British military personnel to and from destination in Europe and the Middle East.