Airbus A330 best seats. Airbus A330: cabin layout, best seats

The largest airliner of the A330 family is Airbus 330-300 (Airbus 330-300). The aircraft of this model is capable of carrying up to 440 passengers in a single-class cabin, 335 - if the configuration is two-class and 295 people if the cabin consists of three classes: business, first and economy.

The seats in the salon can be placed in different ways, and their number varies greatly.

Aeroflot operates only 17 such aircraft, of which:

1 liner with a layout of seats - 36 (business class) / 265 (economy)
5 liners with layout - 34 (business class) / 268 (economy)
11 liners with a layout of 296 passengers: 28 (business class) / 268 (economy).

The main difference between these liners is the different number of passenger seats in business class.

Since the cars have minor differences in terms of seat placement, we will take as an example one, but the largest aircraft with a 28/268 configuration, and identify good and bad seats on it. Please note that our recommendations are suitable for absolutely all airliners of this type used by Aeroflot.

The front of the cab is occupied by 5 or 6 rows business class. All chairs are quite comfortable, comfortable and "recline" by almost 180º. However, it is worth paying attention to the 1st, 5th and 6th rows, which are highlighted in yellow in the diagram. The first row is located in close proximity to the wardrobe, kitchen and restrooms, which brings minor discomfort to passengers in these seats during the flight. In addition, a noisy economy class begins immediately behind the 6th row.

Landing seats in 11 and 29 rows it is worth purchasing for passengers with babies, since there are attachments for cradles near these rows.

15 row of seats (A and K). Standard seats of this class, but in the Airbus 28/268 layout, there are no windows near the 15th row. Therefore, if you prefer to enjoy the flight, you should look for other places.

Seats in the 29th row (A, C, H, K) have both advantages and disadvantages. Pros - since there is an emergency exit near the row, there is a sufficient amount of free space in front of the seats. Thanks to this, you can leave your seat without disturbing your neighbors, stretch your legs, and you do not have to prop up the back of the seat in front with your knees throughout the flight. On long flights, this is important.

The disadvantages of these seats include huge monitors that are located in front of the 29th row and work even during a night flight. Also, the disadvantage of this row is the close location of the bathrooms, which entails constant movement of people, the formation of queues, additional noise and endless opening and closing of doors.

Seats 27, 28, 44 and 45 rows. All seats in these economy-class rows have 2 rather significant drawbacks.

At first, these seats either do not recline at all, or they have restrictions.

Secondly- latrines, which are located directly in front of these rows. The bustle, queue, odors and sounds will annoy you throughout the entire flight. It is not worth booking these seats if other options exist.

41 row. These are the usual economy class seats. However, it should be noted that there is a narrowing of the fuselage, due to which the seats D and G are slightly "extended" into the aisle.

Of all 17 airliners, it is worth highlighting the Airbus with the tail number VQ-BNS. The main difference between this liner is the layout - 36/265. In addition, Economy Class seats are more comfortable and equipped with sockets and footrests. If you managed to book tickets for this particular liner, then your flight will be very comfortable.

And finally, recommendations and tips for choosing the best seats on the Airbus A330-300:

• Visit the official website of the airline and familiarize yourself with the scheme of the liner you intend to fly;
• When choosing seats, be guided by the above recommendations, choose good seats for yourself;
• If in doubt, contact an Aeroflot employee for assistance.

General tips for choosing good seats on any liner configuration:

• Make sure that in the places you have chosen, the chairs can be folded out and are not limited in this;
• It is not worth buying places located near technical rooms, latrines, kitchens, as well as in the tail of the liner.

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After reading the article How to choose the best place? you will receive comprehensive information on how to redeem the most convenient options, what are the differences between the rows at the beginning and at the end of the cockpit, and you will learn about all the advantages and disadvantages of seats at the aisle and near the windows.

One of the factors that ensure a comfortable and safe flight is choosing the right seat on the plane.

About Airbus

Airbus, which produces aircraft for civil, cargo and military aviation, has been the main and almost the only competitor of the famous Boeing for almost half a century. Symbolizing the competition between Europe and America, the Old and New Worlds, Airbus and Boeing produce comfortable passenger airliners of a variety of classes - from huge aircraft like the A380 and B747 to mid-range and long-haul aircraft like the A320 and B737.

Last but not least, tough rivalry and the presence of a strong competitor force both of these companies to constantly improve and offer airlines more and more new developments - more comfortable, safe and economical.

Airbus A330-300 Specifications

Replacing its parent Airbus A330, the A330-300 received some lengthening of the fuselage, which ended up being 63.7 meters. The wingspan of this aircraft is 60.3 meters. The Airbus A330-300 can carry up to 440 passengers (if there are seats of only one class in the cabin) over a distance of up to 10,000 kilometers. In addition, the liner has a spacious cargo hold, which makes it possible to use it as an aircraft carrying cargo. The cruising speed of the Airbus A330-300 is 880 km / h.

Against the background of its competitors, liners and 787, it looks more profitable - at least in terms of demand. Sales of the Airbus model are at a higher level - annually, airlines from all over the world order about a hundred A330-300s.

The best places on the example of Aeroflot

Since the layout of the seats in the cabin of the aircraft is different for each airline, for the convenience of our readers, consider an example of a vessel belonging to the largest Russian carrier, Aeroflot. The Airbus A330-300, the best seats of which we will now choose, is used by the national carrier in three cabin configurations, and we took the most common option.

So, where is it better to sit in shows us that in business class, the places to which complaints can arise are the last and first rows. The first is due to the proximity of technical areas such as the kitchen, wardrobe and toilet. The latter is due to the proximity to the economy class, from where, due to the placement of more people there, more noise comes out.

In the 15th row of economy class, the side seats have no windows, which should be taken into account if you want to fly in contemplation of the clouds and the endless sky.

The 29th row will be convenient for long flights - there are emergency exits nearby, there are no seats in front, so it will be very spacious to sit and lie there, you can stretch your legs and get up at any time without the need to wake up your neighbor. But at the same time, it is worth considering the proximity of the toilets. From there it can be heard, and standing next to people in a queue is unlikely to please anyone. Also near this row, along with the 11th, there are cradles for cradles, so get ready for the fact that babies will be next to you throughout the flight.

The most uncomfortable seats are in rows 44-45 and 27-28. In addition to the proximity to the toilets, the backs of the chairs in these rows do not recline - there is simply nowhere, since there is a wall behind.

And finally, let's note row 41, in which, due to a slight decrease in the width of the aircraft, two seats at the aisle protrude slightly, which can create additional inconveniences.

Finally, we will repeat a few tips that will be relevant when choosing seats on any aircraft, not just the Airbus A330-300: do not choose seats near technical rooms, especially toilets. Also make sure that the backrests of the chairs in your row recline, otherwise you will have to sleep in a fully seated position.

Operation of the Airbus A330-300 (Airbus A330-300) airliner began in 1994. The production of this long-range, twin-engine aircraft continues to this day. The design is based on the Airbus A 330, created in the second half of the 1980s. Almost at the same time, the A 330-200 modification was created. Its difference is a shortened fuselage.

The liner is a car capable of carrying up to 440 passengers. Among the Airbus family, this aircraft is the best suited for long-distance flights. It is on such routes that it is more popular.

This modification can fly up to 11,300 kilometers. Passengers, crew and flight attendants will be in comfortable conditions. In particular, during the flight, personnel can descend into a special compartment called the recreation room. It is located at the rear of the aircraft.

The popularity of the liner was what ensured its acquisition by a wide variety of airlines. Among them is Aeroflot, which has 17 such aircraft. Including 11 liners included in the fleet of this company can carry 296 passengers. Five planes have 302 seats. One liner has 301 seats.

In the first case, the salon is presented in two classes: business (28 seats) and economy. In the second case, most of the seats have standard conditions, while 34 have increased comfort. The third case - 36 high-comfort seats, the rest are economy class.

Best and worst places

The cabin of Airbus 330-300 can have one economy class. At the same time, he can take on board 440 people. With a two-class cabin, the number of passengers is 335. The salon, which has three classes, is designed for 295 passengers.

During the flight, passengers can take advantage of various little things that ensure their comfort. The salon has Internet access. You can watch TV programs (monitors are in the seat backs). Interior ventilation and lighting meet the highest requirements.

The traditional equipment is the salon, which is divided into two parts. While more comfort is provided in the bow, standard conditions are provided behind it, right up to the wall at the tail end.

Seats with an increased level of comfort are located in the first six rows. The seats here have adjustments to ensure the convenience of passengers of various sizes. If the flight takes a long time, then the chair easily turns into a bed. Its backrest can recline 180 degrees.

However, in Business Class, there are seats that are less comfortable. This is noted in the first, fifth and sixth rows. The reason is this. The first row is located right next to the kitchen and toilet. Passengers and flight attendants often pass here. The fifth and sixth rows are somewhat noisy, as there is an economy class nearby. However, such an inconvenience can be considered far-fetched.

Economy class is represented by a significant number of seats that do not stand out either for the better or for the worse. But there are chairs in which there is more comfort, and there are those where there are fewer of them.

For passengers with small children, seats in the 11th and 29th rows are best suited. There are places for a stroller. The carrycot can be installed. If a passenger goes on the road with a teenage child, the 15th row is the least suitable for him. There are no portholes here. And for a teenager, this is a very serious disadvantage.

Row 11 is the first in Economy Class. It has about the same pros and cons as the 29th row, from which the rows in the second compartment of this class begin. Convenience in these rows - there is plenty of room in front to accommodate your feet. In addition, since there are no seats in front, no one will recline their back and create inconvenience.

There are large monitors on the wall in front of the chairs. They broadcast up-to-date information about the flight. However, constantly running monitors can get in the way. After all, sometimes you just do not want to watch what is there and how, but there is a desire to sleep.

The downside here is that passengers with small children usually fly here, who simply cannot be in the cradles all the time. Their cry disturbs many. Another disadvantage is the armrests that do not rise. The reason is that tables are mounted in them. The close proximity to the toilet is also a disadvantage. In addition to noise, the queues of passengers in the aisle also interfere.

They do not differ in the comfort of chairs in the 41st, 42nd, 43rd rows. This is where the narrowing of the cabin begins. Paired side seats are set at a certain angle. In the middle of row 41, four chairs protrude slightly into the aisle. Passengers and flight attendants passing through here sometimes interfere with those who are seated. As for the 42nd row, there are only three seats in the middle.

In the category characterized by the lack of comfort, ranks fall: 27th, 28th, 44th, 45th. They are the last in the economy class compartments. Toilets are located nearby. At the same time, the 45th row is located near both the toilet and the kitchen.

Those sitting here are constantly distracted by passengers queuing for the toilets. Smells interfere a little. And stewardesses appear here more often than in other places.

But that's not all. There are walls behind the backs of the chairs. For this reason, the backrests do not recline. In addition, drawers are installed under the seats in front, which do not allow you to stretch your legs.

Some features of the plane

The A330-300 airliner was designed to replace the A 300 with a more modern aircraft. The fuselage of the latter was taken as the basis for the new model. It was lengthened. This allowed us to increase the number of passengers, which significantly affects the savings in flight costs.

The new aircraft was able to carry more cargo. Its luggage compartment is comparable to that of the Boeing 747.

The aircraft is powered by two General Electric CF6-80E, Pratt & Whitney PW4000 or Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engines. These power plants are reliable. Combined with the well-designed hull and wings of the aircraft, if one engine fails, the A330-300 is capable of continuing to fly for three hours on one.

Comfort provided to passengers, long flight range allow this liner to successfully compete with Boeing 777-200.

The availability of modern equipment and good computer support greatly facilitate the work of the crew. That is why it has only two pilots.

Airbus A330-300 characteristics

Length: 63.69 m.
Height: 16.63 m.
Wingspan: 60.3 m.
Wing area: 361.6 m2
Fuselage width: 5.28 m.
Cruising speed: 871 km / h.
Maximum speed: 913 km / h.
Flight range: 11300 km.
Number of passenger seats: 295 - 335 - 440.
Crew: 2 h.

Conclusion

The A330-300 airliner with a maximum take-off weight of 242 tons is capable of flying from London to Tokyo, from Frankfurt to Cape Town, from Beijing to Melbourne ... It has few competitors on such long-haul flights.

Will the development of this aircraft continue? Yes, the A330-300 will be the basis for the A330neo. This model will have new power plants. In addition, cabins are provided for a number of passengers in the cabin. The glider will also change. It is supposed to increase the wingspan. There will be changes to improve aerodynamics. This will reduce fuel consumption, which, when converted to cost per passenger, could result in savings of up to 14 percent.

Calculating the cost of a taxi to the airport

The wide-body airliner Airbus A330 (Airbus A330) is used for flights on medium and long distances, has been produced since 1992.

In the fleets of Russian airlines, the most common modifications are Airbus A330-200 and A330-300. The capacity - from 253 to 440 passenger seats, depends not only on the modification (on the A330-200 the fuselage is shortened by almost 6 meters), but also on the layout of the cabin, which is determined by the airline.

The world's largest aircraft operator Airbus A330 - Turkish Airlines. In Russia, these aircraft are operated on some regular flights of Aeroflot and Nordwind Airlines, on I Fly charters.

Aeroflot

Aeroflot Airlines uses 4 configuration options for A330-200 airliners.

The layout of the A330-200 cabin No. 1

• Business class - rows 1-6 (exits are located behind row 4), number of seats - 34, located in 2;
• Economy class - rows 11-37;
• Space + (more legroom) is the best seat in the A330 when only Economy is taken into account. Found on row 24: A, C, H, K.

Which aircraft is used (tail numbers): VP-BLX, VP-BLY, VQ-BBE, VQ-BBF, VQ-BBG.

Interior layout No. 2

• Business class - rows 1-6 (without division, exit from row 6), 34 seats in total, arranged in 2;
• Economy class - rows 11-45;
• Space + seats are located on row 29, there are only two of them, and not next to each other - C, H.

The scheme is relevant for boards: VQ-BCQ, VQ-BCU, VQ-BCV, VQ-BEK, VQ-BEL, VQ-BQX, VQ-BQY.

Interior layout No. 3

• Space +: 29 row, C, H.

This layout is implemented on the following aircraft: VQ-BQZ, VQ-BMV, VQ-BMX, VQ-BMY, VQ-BPI, VQ-BPJ, VQ-BPK, VP-BDD, VP-BDE.

Interior layout No. 4

• Business class - rows 1-5, number of seats - 28, 2 each;
• Economy Class - rows 11 to 45;
• Space +: 29 row, A, C, H, K.

The scheme below applies only on board VQ-BNS.

I Fly

I Fly charter airline uses 4 layout options in its aircraft, each one unique.

Scheme of seats on the A330 near "Ai Fly" No. 1

Classes are not allocated. The total capacity is 387.

Seats scheme No. 2

The first salon has 19 comfortable seats. The rest of the seats are standard, there are 268 of them.

Emergency exit seats: 36 A, C, H, K.

Seats scheme No. 3

In the first saloon, 48 seats have increased legroom in front of each seat. The rest of the seats are standard, 263.

Emergency exit seats: 26 A, B, J, K; 39 B, J; 40 D, F.

Seats scheme No. 4

The first cabin has a comfort class for 18 seats. The number of standard seats on the plane is 251.

Emergency exit seats: 24 A, B, H, K.

Nordwind Airlines

On board the Airbus A330-200, Nordwind has a two-class layout for 279 seats. This aircraft is the only one in the airline's fleet; its tail number is VP-BYV.

The Airbus A330 is a wide-body aircraft designed primarily for long-distance passenger transportation. The aircraft uses two turbofan engines.

Development history of the Airbus A330 passenger aircraft

The development of the A330 board began back in 1972. The European consortium had to fight Boeing's dominance on long-distance international routes, including Europe-America.

In 1980, the designation twin aisle (with two aisles) was adopted, and in 1986 the new aircraft was named A330. Initially, two models were planned for launch - A330-300 and A330-200, which were almost identical, with the exception of the number of passengers. This made it possible to reduce the cost of designing and testing aircraft.

Also, to speed up the design, the cockpit of the then-leading Airbus A320 was taken as the basis of the cockpit. The fuselage of the new model was taken from the A300, only it was slightly lengthened.

"Roll-out", that is, the presentation of the new aircraft took place on October 14, 1992, and the first flight of the board took place on November 2, 1992.

The third side of the new model was already painted in the livery of the first customer "Air Inter" and was used for full-fledged flight and static tests.

In August of the following year, the aircraft passed the test according to the ETOPS (Extended-range Twin-engine Operational Performance Standards / Extended Twin OPerationS). According to these rules, the plane must fly to the airfield in the event of an accident in the air, first 60, and then, when the standards are revised, 90, 120 or 180 minutes. It should be noted that this norm largely contributed to the problems during the launch of the IL-96 design of the USSR / Russia into the series. As our designers said, as soon as we made a 4-engine aircraft that meets ICAO standards, these standards were revised with a decrease in the number of engines. And the country did not have time to make a long-range twin-engine aircraft.

After the flight tests, the A330-200 program was revised in terms of reducing the number of passengers, and increasing the flight range by lightening the aircraft and installing additional fuel tanks.

Later, Airbus tried to create a new type of aircraft A350 based on the 330th, but due to criticism from consumers, it is forced to make it from scratch.

In 2014, a European consortium launched the development of updated aircraft, indexed A330neo.

Also, one cannot fail to mention the type of the A340 aircraft, which is actually a four-engine version of the A330.

Features of this model

The layout of the aircraft is a low-wing aircraft with one keel (rudder).

The aircraft used a cockpit similar to the A320 type aircraft, which at that time was an advanced aircraft. The board was equipped with a so-called glass cockpit, that is, the instruments were displayed on screens in front of the pilots, and did not represent dials with arrows.

Tactical and technical characteristics

The table shows the characteristics of aircraft of the A330 type:

Interior layout and seating arrangement

A330 supports both single-class and two-class layouts. With a single-class layout, the aircraft can accommodate more than 400 people.

With a two-class layout, the aircraft contains both business class and economy class.

Well, in business class, better conditions are often offered, airplane meals, and the seats are just more comfortable. This is important for long flights, and such boards are designed specifically for long-haul flights.

Pros and cons of the plane

The undoubted advantage of the aircraft is its reliability, confirmed by many years of use on the longest, transatlantic flights. The downside is, according to the author, somewhat cramped, uncomfortable seats (albeit in economy class), in which it is rather difficult to sit out a long flight.

Aircraft safety

The A330 has proven itself to be a reliable vehicle with few accidents. More vehicles were destroyed and damaged as a result of hostilities and errors on the ground. During the operation, there were only two aircraft accidents with the death of the crew and passengers.

Airbus A330 modifications

A330 has several modifications - civil and military.

Airbus A330-100

The A330-100 was planned to compete with the Boeing 767-300ER and Boeing 767-400ER and to replace the aging A300 and A310. But the designer from the parts of the new 330 and the old 300 turned out to be unsuccessful and did not go into the series.

Airbus A330-200

The aircraft type certificate was issued for this modification in 1998. The aircraft is built on the basis of the A330-300, with a fuselage reduced by 6 meters and an increased keel to prevent yawing along the course due to the changed aerodynamics of the aircraft.

Airbus A330-200F

There is more or less demand for cargo aircraft, but it never stops. To fill this niche, Airbus launched the A330-200F (Frightener) version. Serial production began in 2009. This modification allows you to transport 65 tons of cargo over a distance of 7400 km, which is enough for transportation from Europe to America.

Airbus A330-300

Option 300 carries 295 passengers in a three-class layout, 335 in two classes and up to 440 if the aircraft is equipped with only an economy class cabin. Flight distance - up to 10800 km.

The aircraft complies with the ETOPS-180 standard, which means that in the event of an emergency it can still fly for 3 hours to the nearest airfield.

Airbus A330 P2F

In 2012, a presentation of the program for the conversion of old passenger aircraft into cargo aircraft was held. The modification received the designation P2F - passenger-to-freighter - "passenger in cargo". A330-300P2F with a load of 60 tons has a range of 4000 km. The A330-200P2F modification will be able to carry up to 59 tons of cargo over a distance of 7400 km.

Airlines using Airbus A330

Airbuses A330 are operated by almost all airlines making long-distance flights. These are Russian Aeroflot, European and Asian carriers. Mention may be made of Air France / KLM, Iberia, Air China, Emirates, Etihad, Korean Air, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, Swiss International Air Lines, TAP Portugal, Vietnam Airlines and many others.

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