It is designed to seat 30-36 passengers and, as of July 2018, there were 240 operational aircraft used by 34 different operators. On 25 January 1983, the Saab 340 conducted its maiden flight. During the early 1990s, an enlarged derivative of the airliner, designated as the Saab 2000, was introduced. However, sales of the type declined due to intense competition within the regional aircraft market. In 1998, Saab decided to terminate production of the Saab 340. On 6 June 1984, the Saab 340's launch customer, Swiss operator Crossair, received its first 340 aircraft. One week later, the type performed its first flight with paying customers on board; passengers on board this flight included Pope John Paul II. During 1989, US regional airline American Eagle placed a large order for the type, procuring a total of 50 340Bs along with options for an additional 50 aircraft.[18] However, business conditions and demand for turboprop-powered regional airliner transformed dramatically during the 1990s; this can be perhaps best summarised by AMR Eagle's decision in October 1999 to announce its intention to phase out its 340 fleet.[19] Faced with diminished value and demand for the 340, Saab chose to shutter production in 1999. Even after production was terminated, a large number of 340s have remained in commercial service in the following decades. By 2006, there was a resurgence in demand for turboprop-powered airliners, in part due to the rising price of oil; during this year, Saab announced the largest ever leasing deal for the 340, providing a total of 25 340s to Australian operator Regional Express Airlines. By late 2010, Saab was evaluating the option of extending the certified lifespan of the 340 which, under the Maintenance Review Board programme, is typically limited to 60,000 hours; the company believes the maintenance programme could be extended to accommodate up to a 75,000 hour limit. For more details of the development, operational history and 11 variants, click here.
