Most of Airbus' aircraft projects have been successful, but there are also a few types of aircraft that have failed.
The A340-200 was one of Airbus' most failed aircraft projects. The aircraft was first delivered in 1993, and a total of 28 aircraft have been delivered in historyThe unpopularity is mainly "too bulky". This means that airlines need to pay higher operating costs.
The economics of the A340-200 are very similar to those of the A340-300, but with less cargo and passenger capacity, with the -300 carrying 335 people in a typical layout, while the -200 can only carry 303 people, a 10% difference. As a result, the aircraft is not generating enough revenue, and it is understandable that airlines are not satisfied.
In fact, there are several other wide-body aircraft, such as the 777-200LR and A340-500, that have similar problems, resulting in aircraft that are not favored by the market.
It has been 30 years since the first delivery of the A340 aircraft, and Lufthansa is currently the main operator, with 16 aircraft in service, but all of them are -300s. As for the A340-200, it is rarely in service, especially by airlines. There are currently 7 aircraft in service, and the main users include the Air Force, the royal family (such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar) and ** (such as Egypt**).
Currently, only two sanctions-restricted countries – Venezuela and Iran – operate regular passenger routes with A340-200 aircraft. The sanctioned countries, especially Iran, have no choice but to buy whatever aircraft they can buy. It's a good thing for aviation enthusiasts because they can experience the aircraft, but it also means taking a big risk. These aircraft are generally very old, overdue for service, and lack regular maintenance, which makes safety concerns.
Venezuelan United Airlines (Conviasa) has an A340-200 with registration number YV3554, and the plane is 29 years old. At present, it operates international routes from Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, to Havana, the capital of Cuba, Managua, the capital of Nicaragua, and Mexico City, the capital of Mexico.
The aircraft was delivered to Austrian Airlines in 1995 and later served for many years in the French Air Force before changing hands several times to Venezuelan airlines.
In addition, Iran's Mahan Air received an A340-200 with the registration number EP-MJA in 2023. The aircraft began service with Malaysia Airlines on December 20 this year and currently operates international routes from Tehran, the capital of Iran, to Ankara, Istanbul, Turkey, Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan, and Moscow, Russia. Iran did not stop its air routes with Russia, as Western countries did.
For Iran, this A340-200 is already a relatively new aircraft, after all, Iran still operates the old A300 aircraft. The Iranian plane, much like the situation in Venezuela, was 29 years "old", first delivered to Austrian Airlines, and then served for many years in the French Air Force.
Four-engine aircraft are destined to be eliminated, and this is an irreversible development trend。The A340 aircraft has long been discontinued, and the A380 and 747 aircraft have also been discontinued over the past few years. As for the rare A340-200 aircraft still in service with "ultra-long standby", it is completely a helpless move by Venezuela and Iran.