AIRBUS INDUSTRIE HAS broken a three-year A330 sales drought, with Gulf Air's order for six Rolls-Royce Trent 772-powered aircraft.
The six A330s are scheduled for delivery to the Bahrain-based carrier from 1998 onwards. The aircraft will configure to seat 267 passengers in a three-class layout, and they will be used on medium-haul routes within the Middle East and to Europe.
The order follows the cancellation by Gulf Air earlier this year of a previous order for six General Electric GE90-powered Boeing 777-200Bs.
The new A330s will offer operational and cockpit-training commonality with Gulf Air's existing fleet of 14 A320s and four A340s. A further four A320s and two A340s are also on order.
Source: Flight International
