Lufthansa this week retired the Airbus A340-600 after 23 years of operation.
The carrier’s final A340-600 departed Washington Dulles on Sunday and landed at Frankfurt on Monday. There were 267 passengers and 15 crew on board; many purchased tickets specifically to be a part of the final flight, the airline said.
“We will never forget this last flight with the A340-600,” said Lufthansa Frankfurt hub manager Francesco Sciortino, who also served as captain of the flight. “I am grateful that this aircraft has safely carried more than 40 million guests across the globe in 23 years.”
Lufthansa took delivery of its first A340-600 in 2003. At about 247 feet, it was the longest passenger aircraft in the world at the time. Its first destinations in Lufthansa’s network were Buenos Aires and Santiago de Chile.
The airline operated a total of 24 A340-600s over the years.
Lufthansa will replace the A340-600 with the A350-1000, Boeing 787 Dreamliner, and 777-9.
The carrier still operates the A340-300; that aircraft will be retired in 2027.