Northwest Airlines Becomes World’s Largest A330 Operator With Delivery of 32nd Airbus Aircraft

Northwest Airlines (NYSE:NWA) today announced delivery of its 32nd Airbus A330 aircraft, giving the airline the largest A330 fleet in the world, the youngest international fleet of any North American airline, and the youngest transatlantic fleet of any North American or European carrier. The fuel-efficient A330 has significant benefits, not only for passengers in terms of comfort, but also for the environment – major priorities for Northwest and its employees as the airline moves forward with its $6 billion re-fleeting program.

Environmental Benefits

According to Doug Steenland, president and chief executive officer, today’s more fuel-efficient A330 fleet is also part of the “greening of Northwest Airlines.” The A330 is much quieter and 35 percent more efficient than the DC-10 aircraft it replaces.

Northwest is committed to reducing the environmental impact of air travel and is already making great progress in this area. “We have reduced our carbon dioxide emissions by an overall 25 percent between 2000 and 2006,” Steenland said. He also added that the carrier’s $6 billion fleet modernization program has allowed the airline to significantly improve fuel efficiency since the year 2000, resulting in annual fuel savings of 250 million gallons per year – the equivalent of keeping more than 300,000 cars off the road annually.

These savings are allowing Northwest to continue to grow and expand its international operation. Since 2000, the airline has increased transatlantic service by 12 percent while using approximately 30 percent less fuel.

Passenger Benefits

Northwest’s A330s offer superior service for customers traveling internationally on transatlantic, transpacific and inter-Asia routes, as well as domestically between Minneapolis/St. Paul and Honolulu. Steenland added, “for the customer experience, the A330 is a real winner, delivering unparalleled comfort in international travel.”

World Business Class customers traveling on the A330 enjoy an array of features, including a 176-degree lie-flat seat with privacy canopy, 60 inches of pitch, or space between rows, a personal laptop power port, cycling lumbar support, a six-way adjustable headrest and four seat-back storage pockets. The A330′s economy class seats provide more personal space than any other economy seat in the carrier’s fleet. In addition, customers in both cabins can enjoy the personal on-demand, in-flight entertainment system.

Additional Re-Fleeting Plans

Overall, the airline’s international fleet is expected to double in size by 2010, with a projected average growth in international flights of 4.3 percent during that time. The airline is also investing in a superior domestic fleet with 72 new best-in-class regional jets in the fleet by 2008.

About Northwest

Northwest Airlines is one of the world’s largest airlines with hubs at Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Memphis, Tokyo and Amsterdam, and approximately 1,400 daily departures. Northwest is a member of SkyTeam, an airline alliance that offers customers one of the world’s most extensive global networks. Northwest and its travel partners serve more than 1,000 cities in excess of 160 countries on six continents.

Aircraft Specifications

 A330-200                 A330-300 ———————— ———————–  Wingspan              197 ft. 10 in.           197 ft. 10 in. Length                192 ft. 11.5 in.         208 ft. 10 in. Tail Height           57 ft. .5 in             55 ft. 2 in. Range                 6200 miles               5300 miles Cruising Speed        545 mph                  545 mph Fuel Tank Capacity    36,744 gallons           25,765 gallons Cargo Capacity        16 tons                  15 tons Seating Capacity      243                      298 Engines               2 jet attached to wings  2 jet attached to wings