China Eastern Airlines has taken delivery of its first of five Airbus A340-600s, becoming China's first operator of the Rolls-Royce Trent 500-powered airliner. The airline is due to take receive two more this year and the last two in 2004. The 322-seater will initially replace Boeing MD-11s on Los Angeles services, and may later be used on future services to Europe. Its last three MD-11s are being converted to freighters for use by subsidiary China Cargo Airlines. The SARS outbreak forced China Eastern to defer deliveries earlier this year. The airline's first two A340-600s were contractually handed over at the end of June, but the first did not arrive in Shanghai until last week.
Source: Flight International
