EXCLUSIVE: Over the past few years, it has been out with the old and in with the new at Air Tahiti Nui. The airline retired its last Airbus A340s in September 2019 and has since switched to the more fuel-efficient Boeing 787. Since retirement, these Airbus A340s have been scrapped, and parts of one have now been upcycled into key tags.
Over the last decade, quad-jets have massively fallen in popularity, seemingly none more so than the single-deck Airbus A340. Many airlines have twigged that two engines are far more fuel efficient than four. In an age of rising fuel prices and global temperatures, it is in the interest of airlines to save fuel.
Air Tahiti Nui Airbus A340 parts now on sale
Aviationtag has just begun to sell parts of an Air Tahiti Nui Airbus A340. The company has upcycled pieces of the fuselage into its popular key tags. Thanks to Air Tahiti Nui's vibrant livery, the tags are each colored, unlike some previous editions that have been 'plane' white. The tags are now on sale for €32.95 ($35.78) from the company's website. The airline has commissioned this special edition to celebrate its 25th anniversary.
Commenting on the partnership, Torea Colas, Marketing and Communication Director at Air Tahiti Nui remarked,
"This Aviationtag X Air Tahiti Nui edition is a unique opportunity to keep a piece of the airline's history. It is not only a beautifully crafted creation but also a lasting reminder of all these beautiful years filled with outstanding emotions and amazing trips."
About the aircraft
The plane that has been upcycled is an Airbus A340-300, bearing the serial number 395. The aircraft was initially built for Belgian carrier Sabena, though it was never delivered after the airline's collapse. It was given to Canada 3000 as C-GZIA in September 2001, but the airline soon also collapsed.
Air Tahiti Nui took delivery of the jet in January 2002. It christened the plane "Bora Bora," and the airline placed it on the French aircraft register as F-OJTN. According to data from ch-aviation.com, the aircraft clocked 62,482 flight hours across 7,600 flight cycles. Air Tahiti Nui said goodbye to the aircraft in December 2018, and it was scrapped in San Bernadino, to the east of Los Angeles.
The future is twinjet
With the retirement of the Airbus A340, Air Tahiti Nui switched allegiances to Boeing and the 787 Dreamliner. Today, the airline operates a fleet of four 787-9s, delivered between October 2018 and August 2019. The four aircraft are aged from 3.5 years to 4.33 years. According to schedule data from Cirium, the carrier currently uses the fleet for non-stop flights to Aukland (AKL) and Seattle (SEA) from Papeete (PPT) in French Polynesia. Paris (CDG) flights are also operated, with a stop in Los Angeles (LAX).
At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Air Tahiti Nui broke the longest domestic flight record, flying non-stop between Papeete and Paris Charles De Gaulle in March 2020. French bee just beat the record two months later, flying from Papeete to Paris Orly.
What do you make of the fate of this Airbus A340? Let us know what you think and why in the comments below!
Sources: Aviationtag, ch-aviation.com, Cirium