Hainan Airlines (HU) has taken delivery of its first Airbus A330 with the new 242 tonne maximum take-off-weight (MTOW) capability. The increased MTOW allows airlines to operate longer range at lower operating costs.

The new A330-300 aircraft, Registration B-8117, features a two-class configuration with 292 seats, including 32 in business class and 260 in economy class.

Hainan Airlines has started operating the A330 aircraft in 2007 and has become the airline's benchmark wide-body aircraft. Currently, the Haikou-based carrier has opened nearly 500 domestic and international route covering 90 destinations. Now Hainan Airlines owns 22 A330 aircraft, including nine A330-200s and 13 A330-300s.

The A330 is one of the most popular wide-body aircraft and has won over 1,500 orders, with over 1,200 delivered to some 110 operators worldwide. Offering the lowest operating costs in its category, and thanks to the continuous investment and introduction of innovations, the A330 is the most profitable and best performing aircraft in its class, with an average operational reliability of 99.4 percent.