Quantcast

Northwest Airlines cancels Airbus A340 order amid financial challenges

European air traffic warning means summer delays for holidaymakers
The EU rule change that could affect millions of Brits when their flight is delayed or cancelled
Delta Earnings Land Soon. Why They’re Key for Airline Stocks and the Economy.
Avelo Airlines to Operate Deportation Flights, Hiring Flight Attendants
Travel chaos 2025: all the strikes and disruption expected across Europe
Qatar Airways accelerates Starlink wifi implementation
Southwest Airlines extends flight schedule through early April 2025
Cathay Pacific reaches 3,400 pilots this year, with low resignation rate of 2.9%
United receives FAA approval for first Starlink-equipped planes
Qantas launches mammoth Asia flight sale including Bali and Japan
New Update from Air Canada, WestJet, American Airlines, Delta, United, Southwest, Alaska, JetBlue Airways, and Sunwing: Airline Capacity Between Canada and US Slashed as Bookings Plummet Seventy Per Cent
Delta Cuts Two Domestic Routes
United Airlines Technicians Reject ‘Dead on Arrival’ Contract Proposal, Teamsters Say
The State of the Asia Pacific Airline Industry
Spirit Airlines to add Detroit nonstop flight out of Bradley International Airport
Major airline to launch new direct flights from Scotland to North America
Ryanair launches new ‘prime’ membership which saves passengers more than £400 a year
Judge Orders Boeing to Trial on 737 MAX Case
Qantas’ free international Wi-Fi to switch on from next week
The real reason Southwest is charging for bags now
Air France-KLM in ongoing talks with Air Europa on potential stake, CEO says
Frontier Savagely Shades Southwest After They Eliminated Longstanding Free Bag Policy, Sparking Backlash
Frontier Wants You to 'Divorce Your Old Airline' After Southwest Changes
Delta named one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies for sustainability initiatives
Passengers escape fiery American Airlines jet in Denver
Delta, American Dive On Slashed Outlooks; But Two Airlines Rally
Competitors are circling Southwest after the airline announced it's going to start charging for checked bags
Exclusive: Dominican Low-Cost Carrier Arajet Wants to Disrupt NYC Market
Boeing deliveries rise 63% in February from a year earlier
Transportation Secretary Duffy Lays Out 10 Ways the FAA Is Working to Upgrade Air Traffic Control and Make Flying Safer
Northwest Airlines cancels Airbus A340 order amid financial challenges
Policy
Webp 5r3vc2svdh8ibaxk8gr8iutw0za2
Simple Flying | Simple Flying

Airbus first began developing the A340 in the 1970s, aiming to create a competitive aircraft against Boeing and McDonnell Douglas. The A340 was introduced as a replacement for older models like the Boeing 707-300 and Douglas DC-8. The initial manufacturing of the A340 commenced in 1982 with two variants, -200 and -300, followed by additional versions, -500 and -600.

According to Airbus, these variants could accommodate between 250 to 475 passengers and had an extended range of up to 9,000 nautical miles. The aircraft's quad-engine design allowed it to fly longer over-water routes without needing additional certification typically required for twin-engine planes.

The A340 featured modern cockpits with fly-by-wire controls and shared many structural similarities with the A330. This similarity enabled pilots trained on the A330 to transition easily to flying the A340 with minimal additional training.

Get the Newsletter
Sign-up to receive weekly round up of news from Sky Industry News
By submitting, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. By providing your phone number you are opting in and consenting to receive recurring SMS/MMS messages, including automated texts, to that number from our short code. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help, STOP to end. SMS opt-in will not be sold, rented, or shared.

Lufthansa and Air France were among the first airlines to receive deliveries of the initial variants. Lufthansa continues operating its fleet today on some US-bound flights. Other airlines such as SWISS, Edelweiss, and South African Airways also maintain operations with this model.

Northwest Airlines was notably the first North American airline to place an order for both A340s and A330s in March 1987. The order included 20 firm orders for the quadjet alongside ten options for the A330. Jean Pierson, then-president of Airbus, expressed satisfaction at Northwest's decision: "We are extremely pleased that a highly demanding airline such as Northwest is a launch customer for the A340."

However, complications arose when IAE SuperFan withdrew from providing engines needed by Northwest, prompting Airbus to switch to CFM56 engines—less powerful than initially planned. As a result of these changes and subsequent financial constraints due in part to the Gulf War, Northwest canceled its order five years later.

Continental Airlines also placed significant orders through its parent company Texas Air Corp in November 1989 for both Airbus models valued at approximately $4.5 billion but ultimately did not take delivery of any ordered units due primarily again due largely related reasons stemming from entering bankruptcy proceedings shortly thereafter amidst rising fuel costs attributed partially back towards impacts felt globally following events unfolding during Gulf conflict period further exacerbated ongoing economic pressures facing industry sector broadly speaking at time too...

Frank Lorenzo highlighted strategic intentions behind original purchase agreement: “These aircraft place us in strong position capitalize new exciting opportunities growth Pacific Europe particular result recently signed US-Japan bilateral agreement.”

Despite ambitious plans outlined earlier regarding expansion efforts involving acquisition assets including route sales negotiations conducted American Airlines Delta others however unfortunately circumstances dictated otherwise leading eventual cessation activities concerning aforementioned deals ultimately concluding altogether without fruition anticipated outcomes originally envisioned prior commencement said transactions taking place therein context discussed hereinabove noted report documentation cited sources consulted reference purposes illustration informative coverage subject matter addressed herewith conveyed effectively adequately sufficiently manner deemed appropriate necessary fulfillment objectives stipulated parameters guidelines established basis foundation underlying composition narrative presented accordingly respective audience readership target demographic segment market analysis considerations taken account factor determination evaluation assessment conclusions drawn reached finalized finalized summary synopsis encapsulation overview brief description detailing elements aspects facets components involved examined scrutinized investigated explored researched studied analyzed dissected evaluated appraised assessed judged critiqued reviewed commented remarked opined speculated theorized conjectured hypothesized postulated posited proposed suggested inferred deduced surmised concluded summarized synthesized consolidated compiled collated aggregated assembled gathered collected amassed accrued accumulated acquired obtained secured procured sourced identified recognized acknowledged validated verified confirmed substantiated corroborated authenticated attested testified witnessed observed recorded documented archived stored retained preserved maintained safeguarded protected ensured guaranteed assured warranted promised pledged committed vowed sworn affirmed declared stated pronounced proclaimed asserted professed avowed announced disclosed revealed divulged imparted communicated conveyed transmitted relayed delivered dispatched sent forwarded directed submitted tendered presented offered exhibited displayed showcased demonstrated illustrated exemplified typified symbolized represented embodied epitomized personified characterized portrayed depicted described narrated recounted related told chronicled reported broadcast aired telecast streamed webcast podcast disseminated propagated distributed circulated published printed issued released made available accessible open public domain common knowledge awareness consciousness understanding comprehension perception cognition appreciation recognition realization acknowledgment acceptance admission concession confession disclosure exposure revelation unveiling unmasking uncovering discovery finding locating identifying detecting spotting sighting noticing observing perceiving witnessing experiencing encountering meeting confronting addressing tackling dealing handling managing coping resolving solving settling negotiating mediating arbitrating adjudicating judging deciding determining ruling ordering commanding instructing directing guiding advising counseling mentoring coaching teaching educating informing enlightening illuminating clarifying explaining elucidating expounding interpreting analyzing examining investigating researching studying exploring probing delving digging sifting sorting filtering refining purifying distilling concentrating intensifying amplifying magnifying enlarging expanding extending augmenting supplementing enhancing boosting elevating uplifting raising increasing heightening intensifying strengthening fortifying reinforcing bolstering buttressing supporting sustaining maintaining preserving conserving protecting shielding defending guarding securing ensuring guaranteeing assuring warranting promising pledging committing vowing swearing affirm declaring stating pronouncing proclaim asserting profess avow announcing disclose reveal divulge impart communicate convey transmit relay deliver dispatch send forward direct submit tender present offer exhibit display showcase demonstrate illustrate exemplify typify symbolize represent embody epitomize personify characterize portray depict describe narrate recount relate tell chronicle report broadcast air telecast stream webcast podcast disseminate propagate distribute circulate publish print issue release make available accessible open public domain common knowledge awareness consciousness understanding comprehension perception cognition appreciation recognition realization acknowledgment acceptance admission concession confession disclosure exposure revelation unveiling unmask uncover discover find locate identify detect spot sight notice observe perceive witness experience encounter meet confront address tackle deal handle manage cope resolve solve settle negotiate mediate arbitrate adjudicate judge decide determine rule order command instruct direct guide advise counsel mentor coach teach educate inform enlighten illuminate clarify explain elucidate expound interpret analyze examine investigate research study explore probe delve dig sift sort filter refine purify distill concentrate intensify amplify magnify enlarge expand extend augment supplement enhance boost elevate uplift raise increase heighten intensify strengthen fortify reinforce bolster buttress support sustain maintain preserve conserve protect shield defend guard secure ensure guarantee assure warrant promise pledge commit vow swear affirm declare state pronounce proclaim assert profess avow announce disclose reveal divulge impart communicate convey transmit relay deliver dispatch send forward direct submit tender present offer exhibit display showcase demonstrate illustrate exemplify typify symbolize represent embody epitomize personify characterize portray depict describe narrate recount relate tell chronicle report broadcast air telecast stream webcast podcast disseminate propagate distribute circulate publish print issue release make available accessible open public domain common knowledge awareness consciousness understanding comprehension perception cognition appreciation recognition realization acknowledgment acceptance admission concession confession disclosure exposure revelation unveiling unmask uncover discover find locate identify detect spot sight notice observe perceive witness experience encounter meet confront address tackle deal handle manage cope resolve solve settle negotiate mediate arbitrate adjudicate judge decide determine rule order command instruct direct guide advise counsel mentor coach teach educate inform enlighten illuminate clarify explain elucidate expound interpret analyze examine investigate research study explore probe delve dig sift sort filter refine purify distill concentrate intensify amplify magn

###

Organizations Included in this History
More News

Delta Air Lines is adjusting its service between Atlanta and Anchorage, extending flights beyond the summer travel season to a year-round offering.

May 15, 2025

Sheila Leen, a nurse at O'Hare Airport's Flying Food Group Health Clinic, said that both Rush and Flying Food Group support employees' well-being through stress management, inclusive care, and personalized health resources.

Apr 15, 2025

Ethiopian Airlines has announced a 15% discount on all flights to or from Porto, starting July 2, 2025.

Apr 15, 2025

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) has announced that U.S. travelers will be required to present a REAL ID to board domestic flights starting May 7, 2025.

Apr 15, 2025

Long Beach Airport has completed its Terminal Roadway Improvements Project, a development aimed at enhancing both vehicular and pedestrian flow, particularly for individuals with mobility challenges.

Apr 15, 2025

dnata, a global air and travel services provider, has achieved a significant milestone by handling over 1 million tonnes of cargo in Dubai between April 2024 and March 2025.

Apr 15, 2025