Iberia A340-600 in FRA ?

[euroflyer]

I am not sure if anybody can help here, but when I left for DEL in FRA last Sunday (21/09) with LH I saw an IB 340-600 (reg EC-IZX) taxiing across FRA airport, must have been around 13h00 or so. As far as I am aware that type is no regular Iberia visitor to FRA ... Never saw it before. Now I am just curious if someone can tell me why it was in FRA on Sunday? Just an unusual high load on MAD-FRA or some technical problems on route

Thanks for any info !

[Devon Rex]

They might be able to help:

http://www.fraforum.de.vu/

[Dandy Warhol]

Hi Euroflyer,

I believe it was a regular scheduled flight. The Iberia schedule features an A340 on the Madrid-Frankfurt -Madrid flights on Sunday late morning/noon only. Normally it is flown by an A340-300 however, so you were lucky to spot an A340-600...

[euroflyer]

Hi Euroflyer,

I believe it was a regular scheduled flight. The Iberia schedule features an A340 on the Madrid-Frankfurt -Madrid flights on Sunday late morning/noon only. Normally it is flown by an A340-300 however, so you were lucky to spot an A340-600...

Thank you for this info!

However, it is strange such a "short hop" is served by such a big bird. I never thought MAD-FRA-MAD would support such a big plane.

[TCAS_climb]

Is the A340-600 a recent addition to the IB fleet ???

When airlines introduce a new aircraft (particularly long-haul airplanes) and need to train pilots in a short period of time, it makes sense to put the aircraft on short-haul routes.

[sdbelgium]

Is the A340-600 a recent addition to the IB fleet ???

Nope, they have 12 of them for LatAm operationas (and sometimes to the Canaries Islands too) and their delivery dates range from 2003 to the last one being delivered in April 2006.

[JAFflyer]

Just a capacity increase is my guess.
I can remember a 340 visting BRU too (back before 9/11). I even flew a DC10 from MAD to BRU once.
But this is all a while a go when aviation was still alive and kicking...