South Korea’s low-cost carrier T’way Air has signed a letter of intent to lease three Airbus A330-300 widebody jets from European planemaker Airbus late next year. T’way Air needs larger planes because it wants to move further afield by introducing new medium and long-haul flights.
The move is all a part of the budget carrier’s plan to take advantage of a rebound in air travel that it expects to see in 2022 as the aviation industry recovers from what has been the biggest blow ever to international travel. In the spring of 2020, the number of people traveling ground down to a trickle after country after country closed their borders to stop the spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus.
T’way Air has 27 Boeing 737-800s
According to the aviation enthusiast website, Planespotters.net T’way Air currently operates a fleet of 27 Boeing 737-800s with an average age of 11.5 years. After having suspended most international flights earlier in the years due to border closures brought about by the coronavirus T’way Air currently flies charters to Vietnam, China, Japan, and Taiwan.
With its three new Airbus A330-300, which will be introduced gradually, the Seoul-headquartered airline is looking to expand its route network with flights to Singapore, Malaysia, Croatia, and Australia. T’way Air is also looking to expand its cargo operations, with each A330-300 able to transport up to 16 tons of cargo.
When breaking the news about the three new A330-300s for T’way Air, English language newspaper The Korea Herald said that 65 airlines globally operate 770 A330-300 aircraft that have a range of 11,750 kilometers ( 7,301 miles).
About T’way Air
Before coming up with the name T’way Air of which the T stands for together, today and tomorrow, the airline operated under the name Hansung Airlines between 2005 and 2008.
Following a rebranding, T’way Air was established in August of 2012 with a fleet of two Boeing 737-800s. After obtaining an air operator’s certificate (AOC), T’way Air began flying domestic routes from Gimpo International Airport (GMP) and Jeju International Airport (CJU). The following year T’way Air obtained its AOC for international operations and began flights from Seoul to Bangkok, Thailand.
About the Airbus A330-300
The Airbus A330-300 is a medium-size twin-engine widebody aircraft that can seat between 250 and 290 passengers. The A330-300 also boasts lower per-seat operating costs than its nearest competitor. The A330-300 is a versatile aircraft that is comfortable performing anything from short-haul to long-haul flights. The A330-300 has a comfortable, quiet cabin that incorporates crew rest areas without compromising revenue earning passenger seats.
Airbus says that it spends 150 million euros a year on the A330 program and has incorporated new features like reducing weight, engine upgrades, and an advanced navigation system. Airbus has also extended the aircraft’s time in the air between maintenance checks with all the new improvements.
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While not many of us have never encountered a T’way Air plane outside of South Korea, the airlines certainly seems convinced of a rebound in air travel and are betting on the A330-300 to extend its network.
Have you ever flown with T’way Air? If so, please tell us what you thought of them in the comments.