Quantcast

Northwest Airlines cancels Airbus A340 order amid financial challenges

Emirates operates with SAF at London Heathrow Airport
British Airways Introduces Brunch Service on Long-Haul Flights
AirAsia FREE SEATS is BACK! - Book Cheap Flight now!
What to Know About Travel to Europe During This Record-Breaking Heatwave
Airport Workers Save the Day After Woman Loses Diamond from Her Engagement Ring in Baggage Carousel
I never talk to strangers on the plane. After my dad died, a passenger helped me talk about my grief.
American Airlines reveals new summer route: Miami → Rome
Budget UK airline launches huge sale with £29 flights to 475 holiday hotspots – but you’ll have to be quick
Delta Passengers Can Book a ‘Last Mile’ Private Jet Charter to Europe This Summer
Honeywell Runway Safety Technology Selected by Southwest Airlines for Fleetwide Installation
Southwest Airlines Adds Cockpit Alerts to Boost Runway Safety
This Airline Is Going to Start Handing Out $675 Fines to 'Unruly' Passengers: 'It Is Unacceptable'
Summer of savings? New analysis shows airfare has dropped significantly - The Points Guy
Travelers are taking extreme measures and using hacks to avoid airline baggage fees
Pigeons Cause Chaos on Delta Flight
United Airlines’ Uniforms Get A Facelift—And A Political Filter
United Continues to Face Catering Chaos at San Francisco
Passenger tries opening plane door mid-flight, gets zip-tied by veterans
Passenger Stows Away on Delta Flight from New York to Paris
Wizz Air becomes first airline to operate P&W-powered Airbus A321XLR jet
Hawaiian Airlines’ new ‘no show’ policy may make travel more expensive
BLIMP-SE OF THE FUTURE Luxury zeppelins of the future from ‘flying bum’ world’s largest aircraft to Google billionaire’s ‘impossible’ airship
Swiss Startup SmartFlyer Develops Hybrid-Electric Trainer
San Francisco-based entrepreneur takes a trip on India's worst-rated airline, his reaction will surprise you
First-Time Flyer at 81: A Grandmother's Memorable Journey
Ryanair forecasts fare rebound as consumers recover from interest-rate hit
Alaska Airlines' “Aviation Day” inspires future aviators
Global Airlines Launches Inaugural Flight, Aiming to Revive 'Golden Age of Travel'
Winning routes: American Airlines adds more than 22,000 seats for football fans following release of 2025–2026 pro schedule
Boeing scores Middle East plane deal during Trump visit
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 will introduce new in-flight menu options created by celebrity chef José Andrés starting November 4.

Oct 25, 2025

The Blue Sky partnership between United Airlines and JetBlue launched today, allowing members of both airlines’ loyalty programs to earn and redeem points across the two carriers.

Oct 25, 2025

Air Canada is set to expand its presence at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ) by introducing four new nonstop routes to the United States in 2026.

Oct 25, 2025

United Airlines has announced it will add 10 new destinations from its Chicago O'Hare International Airport hub starting next year.

Oct 25, 2025

The partnership between United Airlines and JetBlue, known as Blue Sky, has officially launched.

Oct 25, 2025

American Airlines will introduce its new Airbus A321XLR aircraft on December 18, marking the first time a U.S. airline operates this model.

Oct 25, 2025