The global pandemic has caused a major downturn in international travel, leading airlines to reevaluate their fleets. As a result, some carriers have retired certain aircraft types, including the Airbus A340, earlier than expected.

The A340, known for its quad-engine configuration and initial low power on the A340-200 and A340-300 variants, did not have great sales success. Despite this, several international airlines, including some of the largest carriers, had ordered and utilized A340s for high-profile routes to busy international airports such as New York’s JFK. Let’s take a closer look at the past and current airlines that have operated A340 flights to and from New York-JFK.

New York-JFK’s Only Remaining A340 Operator is Lufthansa

According to data from aviation analytics company Cirium’s Diio Mi, since September 13, 2024, when Air Senegal operated its last A340 flight from New York-JFK to Dakar Blaise Diagne International Airport, Lufthansa has been the sole airline operating A340 flights to and from the airport. Lufthansa’s A340-300 and A340-600 aircraft have varying frequencies on flights between Frankfurt Airport and New York-JFK, with plans to continue until at least June 2026. However, these plans may change due to ongoing delivery delays and demand for air travel.

Fewer Airlines Operating A340 Flights to New York-JFK

Prior to the pandemic, there were six routes to and from New York-JFK that were operated by A340-300 or A340-600 aircraft, according to Cirium’s Diio Mi. These carriers included Iberia, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, South African Airways, and Virgin Atlantic. However, with the pandemic’s impact on air travel, these numbers have significantly decreased.

In July 2007, there were 138 weekly A340 flights from New York-JFK, with 16 operators, including five one-stop routes. However, by September 2008, the number of weekly A340 flights had decreased to less than 100. This is likely due to the economic recession and airlines reassessing their operations. Additionally, relaxed rules for twin-engine aircraft to fly longer routes have made the A340 less desirable.

Unlikely Return of A340 to New York-JFK

It is highly unlikely that A340 operations at New York-JFK will return to their peak levels anytime soon. This is due to airlines shifting to newer, more efficient aircraft types such as the A330neo, A350, Boeing 777, and Boeing 787. The A340 has fallen out of favor, with only 25 active A340-200, 63 A340-300, six A340-500, and 30 A340-600s in operation globally, according to ch-aviation.