With their Inaugural flight between Kuwait City and New York-JFK on Saturday (March 18, 2023), Kuwait Airways set the record for the longest Airbus A330-800neo flight at 13 hours.
On Sunday (March 19, 2023), Kuwait Airways announced the completion of their inaugural flight between Kuwait City and New York-JFK which took place on Saturday, March 18, 2023. The flight set a record for the longest flight flown by an Airbus A330-300 at 13 hours. The airline’s A330neo is configured in two classes with 32 fully lie-flat Business Class seats and 203 Economy Class seats in a 2-4-2 configuration. Compared to other aircraft in its category, the A330neo also offers double digit reductions in fuel consumption and emissions, significantly lowering operating costs.
In Sunday’s announcement, Kuwait Airways’ Chairman, Captain Ali Al-Dukhan, said,
“This flight marks a new era in our strategy to right-fit the best of customer experiences while balancing cost efficiencies and sustainability in our operational decisions. The utilization of this aircraft's long-range capability will also bring double-digit savings, which coincidentally means less harm to the environment, matching closely to our ESG goals. We are proud to take the next step forward in reaching the corporate strategy goals in reducing costs and enhancing marginal performance.”
Also commenting on the milestone flight, Airbus’ President – Africa and the Middle East, Mikail Houari, added,
“We are proud that Kuwait Airways has chosen to deploy the A330-800 on John F Kennedy Airport, a key route for the airline. We are confident that the aircraft will provide passengers with exceptional flying experience while providing the airline with unbeatable economics, efficiency, and environmental performance.”
Kuwait Airways’ new A330neos are equipped with the state-of-the-art ‘Air Space’ cabin and can accommodate 235 passengers with 32 lie-flat Business Class seats and 203 spacious Economy Class seats. The aircraft are powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, delivering a 25 percent lower fuel burn per seat compared to previous generation aircraft. Including the new A330neos, Kuwait Airways’ fleet has grown to 32, including Five Airbus A330-200s, four A330neos, seven Airbus A320CEOs, six Airbus A320neos, and 10 Boeing 777-300ERs.
Source: Kuwait Airways