The first 242-tonne Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW) variant of the A330-300 was delivered today to Delta Air Lines. The Atlanta, Georgia (U.S.) – based airline is the first to receive the aircraft type from among 11 worldwide customers for the option. Delta has selected GE CF6-80E1 engines to power its new A330-300.

Launched in 2012 as Airbus’ latest evolution to the twin-engine widebody A330 Family, the increased take-off weight A330-200 and A330-300 incorporate a new aerodynamic package, engine improvements and an optional centre fuel tank (the latter for the A330-300 version).

These upgrades on the A330-300 allow for an extended range of up to 6,100 nautical miles while offering up to 2 percent fuel consumption reduction. This incremental innovation to Airbus’ A330 Family received airworthiness approval from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in April 2015, and received parallel certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) earlier this month.

The delivery ceremony today at Airbus’ headquarters in Toulouse, France, is particularly notable as the airline brought some 100 employees – each a member of Delta’s Chairman’s Club. The group is selected by their peers annually from 10-thousand nominees in Delta’s most prestigious corporate recognition program.