London Stansted airport-based charter and airline sub-charter specialist Titan Airways is bolstering its fleet with its first Airbus A330. The five-year-old airliner will join Titan's 12-strong fleet in the first quarter of 2020 and enter revenue service in April.

Leased for a five-and-a-half year term, the A330 will be the first wide-bodied Airbus variant operated by the company, replacing a Boeing 767-300 ER.

Business development director Alastair Kiernan says: “The A330 will fulfil long haul requirements previously met by the B767, which we are retiring as we transition towards an all Airbus fleet. We have selected this aircraft due to the very high standard of the cabin and the crew rest compartment, which will enable us to operate the aircraft to its maximum range. This should open up a wealth of new opportunities in the charter market.”

The spacious, modern cabin is configured with 32 fully lie flat beds and 206 standard economy seats, offering a 32 inch seat pitch. All seats are equipped with touch screen in-flight entertainment and in-seat power, allowing passengers to power their own devices. The provision of crew rest extends the range of the aircraft to approximately 14.5 hours, enabling Titan to perform extra long range flight operations.

The introduction of the Airbus A330 follows the arrival of six narrow bodied Airbus aircraft over the last six years; three Airbus A321s, two Airbus A320s and an Airbus A318. While the Titan fleet currently includes a number of Boeing aircraft types, the carrier ultimately intends to transition to an all Airbus fleet in order to benefit from the cost savings associated with operating a single aircraft type.