The first two Airbus A330-900 neo aircraft to feature TAP Air Portugal’s livery have rolled out of the paintshop, ahead of a scheduled first delivery later this year.
TAP is the launch customer for the new-engine-option aircraft, and the planes feature the words “A330neo first to fly” on the fuselage.
The Portuguese flag carrier has purchased a total of ten of the aircraft, with a further ten set to be operated on a lease basis.
Airbus says that operators of the A330 neo “will benefit from the 25 percent less fuel burn per seat compared to previous-generation competitors, along with reduced maintenance costs and the A330’s market-leading 99.5 percent operational reliability”.
TAP Air Portugal will also be the launch customer for Airbus’ new Airspace by Airbus interiors, with features including larger overhead storage bins, “spacious and contemporary lavatories”, wider seats and aisles, unobstructed under-seat foot space and LED technology ambient lighting.
There have been a total of around 220 orders for the A330 neo across 13 carriers, with major operators set to include Air Asia X, Iran Air, Delta, and Garuda Indonesia.
