Airbus A330s Won’t Be Retired Yet

ITA Airways has extended the life of its Airbus A330ceo family, previously scheduled for retirement, as a drastic measure to maintain capacity.

With the Italian carrier warning that it expects no new widebody deliveries in 2027, pressure is mounting on the existing fleet to carry the weight and support hoped-for network expansion.

Accessing replacement aircraft has become a challenge for many airlines; however, keeping the A330s for an extended period is damaging to financial performance, given their efficiency compared with newer jets. They can help sustain maintenance periods for other jets and support routes that would otherwise be suspended or reduced without their presence.

A330s will stay to protect ITA Airways

Speaking with Corriere della Sera, Joerg Eberhart, the airline’s chief executive, said the airline will extend the use of four Airbus A330s after deciding internally that removing them as intended would not be a good decision.

The availability of the A330s was not previously guaranteed beyond this year, but their continued presence supports the long-haul schedule and helps cover aircraft that become unavailable, ensuring flying can continue at its typical rate.

Whether it’s technical failures or general maintenance, having the A330s present will give the business cover, similar to what Lufthansa has done with its older widebodies through the years as reliability woes constrain next-generation jet operations.

Bringing down disruption costs, as well as maintaining routes on the network, will be the A330s’ primary role in the short to medium term. While the jets will remain a little longer, they aren’t a long-term solution, and retirement is still firmly on the cards once widebody deliveries recommence and allow it.

Since launch, ITA Airways has built a highly efficient, modern Airbus fleet of narrowbodies and widebodies, with the A330 as the only previous-gen type in its widebody mix, as the A330-900neos and A350-900s take the primary role.

The four retained aircraft, separate from the newer A330neos, will see their operating life extended to help cover the short to medium term.

ITA Airways says no widebodies in 2027

One of the bigger problems for ITA Airways, beyond the need to keep A330s, is the catalyst: the business has flagged that the near-term delivery outlook is less than favourable, with no new widebody jets arriving to support long-haul operations.

With two more A350s from the market in 2028 forecasted by ITA Airways, Eberhart believes retaining the A330s remains the central immediate strategy to support the existing fleet and possible maintenance requirements and, crucially, retain capacity.

ITA Airways has been clear about its capacity struggles during its growth phase, while battling the Pratt & Whitney engine crisis, which it says will leave planes on the ground through 2030 with associated financial impact; the lack of new widebody deliveries compounds the issue.

Through 2026, ITA Airways has flagged the capacity constraints, with a push for more widebody jets from Lufthansa Group to help establish its own network and fend off competition, such as Emirates, which is pushing for fifth-freedom rights flights from its home country to Lima.

Earlier this year, Eberhart said additional A350-900s were preferred over A330-900s because of their range and suitability for a selection of routes, and that the airline would move to the A350 family only over the next ten years. The chief said discussions were ongoing, but their options were largely limited.

ITA needs to discuss with Lufthansa the possibility of adding more A350s. Still, with Airbus sold out through the early 2030s, according to Eberhart, it’s not an easy process, and a standalone deal would not alleviate the current pressures.