Summary
- Just 28 Airbus A340-200s were built.
- It is mainly used by air forces, royal families, and governments.
- Only Venezuela’s Conviasa and Iran’s Mahan Air use it on a scheduled passenger basis.
The A340-200 is among the world’s least successful widebody aircraft. First delivered in 1993, the variant’s sheer unpopularity was mainly due to being much too heavy (relative to the A340-300) yet with a lot fewer seats. It meant higher seat-mile costs, making it a less economical choice.
The -200 variant also has a shorter range than the -300. When added to the arrival of other equipment, including the twin-engined and hugely capable 777-200ER, which entered service in 1997, it is hardly surprising the A340-200 was unsuccessful. The same goes for other niche equipment, like the 777-200LR and A340-500.
Barely used, especially by airlines
Thirty years after the first delivery to Lufthansa, which remains a major A340 operator, only a handful of operators still use the ever-dwindling -200 variant. They are primarily air forces, royal families, and governments (an Egyptian Government example is shown below).
Appropriately reflecting the variant’s niche nature and history, only two sanction-limited countries – Venezuela and Iran – have airlines that still fly it in normal passenger roles. Such carriers, particularly in Iran, have little choice but to acquire whatever aircraft they can, and consequently tend to be great for avgeeks.
Conviasa has one
According to ch-aviation, Venezula’s Conviasa has one A340-200, joining its A340-300 (parked since early December) and A340-600s. Registered YV3554, its -200 variant is 28.9 years old. Note: due to a lack of appropriate photos, the image below is not of the -200 but instead of the -300.
Photo: Wirestock Creators | Shutterstock
Flightradar24 indicates that YV3554 flew from Tehran Imam Khomeini to Caracas – naturally! – on October 3rd, 2023. Examining where it has flown in December shows that it has mainly gone from Caracas to Cancun, Havana, Mexico City’s Felipe Ángeles, Managua, and Porlamar. It has operated various Caracas-Havana-Managua-Havana-Caracas trips, seemingly for tourists.
It was delivered to Austrian Airlines in 1995 (OE-LAH, as shown below; I’ll resist adding an extra ‘lah’). It then spent many years with the French Air Force (F-RAJB).
Mahan Air also has one
Iran’s Mahan Air took delivery of its sole A340-200 (EP-MJA) earlier in summer 2023. However, Flightradar24 indicates it did not enter commercial service until September 11th (that fateful day) from Tehran to Istanbul Airport.
The airport pair is brilliant for a raft of old equipment by Iranian operators, particularly Airbus A300s. The following aircraft is an A340-300, not a -200.
Photo: Telsek | Shutterstock
Flightradar informs us that EP-MJA was parked in Tehran between November 12th and December 19th. It reentered service on December 20th from Tehran to Istanbul and has since flown to Moscow Vnukovo, Sulaimaniyah, and Erbil.
Like Conviasa’s example, EP-MJA is also 28.9 years old. It was also first delivered to Austrian (OE-LAG) and had a long stint with the French Air Force (F-RAJA; see below).
Given the significant difficulties faced by the -200 versus the -300 and other equipment, I like the aptness of Austrian’s registration: LAG. After all, one definition means ‘failing to keep up with another’.
Have you ever flown the -200 variant? If so, let us know in the comments section.
