The Condor Has Come: Garuda’s Brand New Airbus 330-200

Written by Jannatul Firdaus, an aviation student (GNFI contributor in Indonesia)

Today 20th of may 2009, Garuda Indonesia received its first brand new Airbus 330-200 HGW (High Gross Weight) series of 4 aircrafts in their order. Those aircrafts are projected to serve Jakarta-Denpasar-Tokyo route starting from 2nd of June this year and to serve European routes via Dubai soon.

Airbus A330-200HGW series fuselage looks shorter than her sister A330-300, but they have much longer flying range about 12,670 km (2,170 km farther than A330-300 Garuda’s current fleet) with maximum takeoff weight around 238 tonnes. This aircraft can carries up to 293 passengers with two classes (business-economy) configuration or 253 passengers with three class (first-business-economy) classes configuration.

Those 330s were supposed to join with Hainan Airlines. But since they cancel their orders while the aircrafts has been built up, Garuda Indonesia took this idle-ordered aircrafts. And immediately after its arrival, the red-white Hainan’s livery will change into blue and white Garuda’s beautiful exotic livery at Garuda Maintenance Facility.

Pics taken from here.