For most of the three decades it’s been flying, the Airbus A340-600 has been seen as a commercial flop — an uneconomical aircraft that was bettered by rivals soon after its launch. Its four engines were thirsty, its record-breaking length required special runway clearance and its quirky design gave it a reputation for eyebrow-raising inflight activities.
But you wouldn’t know that from the fanatical reception one of the few remaining A340-600s got this month when it arrived at Washington Dulles International Airport for a flight that would mark the end of German carrier Lufthansa’s relationship with the aircraft.
