Airbus has recently delivered an A340-500 to Arik Air—a growing private airline based in Lagos, Nigeria.

The delivery ceremony took place at the Airbus headquarters, which is located in Toulouse, France. The ceremony was conducted by Airbus Chief Operating Officer John Leahy, along with Arik Air’s chairman Sir J.I.A Arumemi-Johnson. Also in attendance were senior government officials from African states, board members, prominent business partners, and VIP guests.   

This delivery marks the first of three pending orders for Airbus’ A340-500. Arik Air will be using the aircraft to charter long-haul routes to London, New York, and Houston. Powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 500 engines, the A340 offers maximum passenger comfort in two-class configuration.

“The A340-500 offers unparalleled passenger comfort combined with outstanding performance and range,” commented Leahy. “We are proud that Arik Air will use the A340 to develop their international network. The introduction of this aircraft will be a catalyst for the development of the Nigerian aerospace industry and we are looking forward to working with Arik Air in the West African region.”

On the other hand, Sir Arumemi-Johnson said, “Our new A340-500 is the first newly built long-range aircraft delivered to a Nigerian airline in more than 20 years, making it the first airline in Africa to operate this variant. It will allow us to launch intercontinental flights, linking Nigeria with the US and the UK, using state of the art technology.”