Delta Air LInes (Atlanta) has formally taken delivery of its first Airbus A330-300 since the Delta-Northwest merger (all previous A330s were ordered by Northwest). Delta is now the launch customer of the new 242-ton Airbus A330-300. The pictured A330-302 N822NW (msn 1627) was formally handed over today (May 29). Delta issued this statement:
Honorees of Delta Air Lines’ Chairman’s Club, the airline’s most prestigious recognition for employees, today took delivery of a new Airbus A330-300 widebody aircraft from Airbus’ headquarters in Toulouse, France.
The aircraft is the first new Airbus purchased by Delta following its merger with Northwest Airlines in 2008, and is one of 10 new A330-300s scheduled to enter Delta’s fleet by 2017.
Eighty nine Delta Chairman’s Club honorees, employees recognized by their peers for their dedication and commitment to exemplifying the highest standards of service and excellence, were on hand for the delivery ceremony to officially induct the new aircraft in to service.
Delta currently operates 32 Airbus A330s, the most economic mid-range international widebody aircraft flying today. The new A330-300s are 15-25 percent more fuel efficient per seat than the Boeing 767-300s and 747-400s they will replace. The A330s will operate primarily on Delta’s Atlantic and Pacific long-range routes and provide Delta’s network with more flexibility to optimally match capacity with demand. The aircraft is powered by General Electric CF6-80E1 engines.
The Airbus A330-300 will feature 34 full flat-bed seats with direct aisle access in Delta One, 32 extra-legroom seats in Delta Comfort+ and 227 Main Cabin seats. Customers will enjoy access to satellite in-flight Wi-Fi featuring the Delta Studio library of free streaming programming as well as more than 1,000 on-demand movies, television shows and music on large, high-definition seatback monitors. Customers also will benefit from modern interiors with LED lighting and extra-capacity overhead bins.
Airbus issued this statement and photo:
The first 242-ton Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW) variant of the A330-300 was delivered today (May 29) to Delta Air Lines. The Atlanta, Georgia (U.S.) – based airline is the first to receive the aircraft type from among 11 worldwide customers for the option. Delta has selected GE CF6-80E1 engines to power its new A330-300.
Launched in 2012 as Airbus’ latest evolution to the twin-engine widebody A330 Family, the increased take-off weight A330-200 and A330-300 incorporate a new aerodynamic package, engine improvements and an optional centre fuel tank (the latter for the A330-300 version). These upgrades on the A330-300 allow for an extended range of up to 6,100 nautical miles while offering up to 2 percent fuel consumption reduction. This incremental innovation to Airbus’ A330 Family received airworthiness approval from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in April 2015, and received parallel certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) earlier this month.
The delivery ceremony today at Airbus’ headquarters in Toulouse, France, is particularly notable as the airline brought some 100 employees – each a member of Delta’s Chairman’s Club. The group is selected by their peers annually from 10-thousand nominees in Delta’s most prestigious corporate recognition program.
Delta Air Lines, Airbus’ biggest A330 customer in North America, flies currently both Airbus single-aisle and widebody aircraft, including 57 A319ceo and 69 A320ceo aircraft, plus 11 A330-200s and 21 A330-300s. In addition to nine more A330-300s and 45 A321ceos still to be delivered to Delta, the airline ordered 25 A350-900 and 25 A330-900neo Airbus widebody aircraft last year.
All photos by Airbus.
Delta Air Lines aircraft slide show (current livery only): 
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