Its 39 tonnes payload is similar to the B707F's, while its volume capacity of 256 cubic metres exceeds by 55 per cent that of the B707F, the release said.
With its maximum payload, the aircraft can cover the range of 3,300 nautical miles against 2,100 nautical miles of B707F, flying thus for seven hours non-stop, while its 26 per cent lesser fuel consumption makes its operating cost cheaper than that of the B707F.
TMA started operating this aircraft on its routes between Beirut and Europe, while the B707F continued the coverage of the Middle East and Africa network, the release said.
With the new aircraft, TMA is also planning to re-open some of its routes to the Far East, followed by a larger coverage of this important market, with the addition of a new and more adequate aircraft to its fleet by the end of this year, the release said.