One of TAM’s A330-200s on final approach at Guarulhos (SBGR) in 2012. Photo credit.
Starting operations as an Air Taxi, TAM grew into an important regional player in the 1980s with Fokker F27 Friendship aircraft, and continued growth into one of Brazil’s most important airlines with a heavy investment on the Fokker 100 through the 1990s. As the millenium was coming to an end, the sky was the limit for TAM, continuing its agressive expansion, this time committing to state-of-the-art Airbus aircraft, ordering the A320 family for its Brazilian and South American operations. The airline also aimed for international expansion, choosing the widebody A330-200, after deeming the 767-300ER inadequate to compete with the American and European giants.
The first two aircraft, PT-MVA and PT-MVB, equipped with Pratt & Whitney engines, were delivered in November 1998, flying from Tolouse to Viracopos. Later that month, the pair did something that today would be unthinkable: to present the airline’s new gem to the press (being labelled by the airline as “the aircraft with NASA technology”, refrencing its fly-by-wire controls), the widebodies performed a fly-by over the small Congonhas airport (SBSP), and later landed at the airport. The A330-200 is the largest aircraft to ever “operate” at Congonhas to date. Shortly after, the aircraft were put into service, initially on domestic routes, and, on the 10th of December 1998, TAM launched its first long haul service, connecting Guarulhos to Miami. On the 22nd of December, the third A330-200, PT-MVC, was delivered. PT-MVC has had the longest continuous career with TAM, operating exclusively with the airline from the day it was delivered until its retirement in February 2016. In April 1999, with the arrival of PT-MVD, TAM started flights to Paris. In November 2000, the airline’s fifth A330, PT-MVE, was delivered.
As the new milllenium started, optimism in TAM was still high, with the airline watching its competitors (Transbrasil and VASP) struggle, and converting 5 options into firm orders, as well as significantly expanding its international network. While these A330s didn’t arrive, the airline leased two A330s from Gulf Air in June 2001, featuring Rolls-Royce engines (PT-MSD and PT-MSE). In July 2002, four of the five new A330s were delivered, this time with General-Electric engines (PT-MVF, PT-MVG, PT-MVH and PT-MVK), started being delivered, and, in September, the Rolls-Royce-powered aircraft were returned to Gulf Air.
Unfortunately, 2001 would be a devastating year for TAM, not only having to deal with the fall in air travel following the terrorist attacks on September 11th, but also having to deal with the loss of Captain Rolim, the airline’s founder and CEO. Having a fleet of 9 A330s in 2002, TAM wet-leased excess A330s (PT-MVA and PT-MVB) to China Airlines. The aircraft never flew in Taiwan due to the SARS epidemic. In 2003, PT-MVA was leased to VARIG, as both airlines were planning to merge at the time. With the TAM/VARIG merger failing, PT-MVA and PT-MVB were leased to South African Airways, while PT-MVD and PT-MVE were leased to the then brand-new Etihad Airways. Eventually, the two pioneers would also temporarily find themselves at Etihad.
After over three years, in October 2005, the 10th A330 finally arrived at the airline, being registered as PT-MVL. This arcraft was the last A330 delivered to TAM with General-Electric engines, and was also the first delivered with an improved FBW, as well as the newly-redesigned shorter vertical stabilizer. 2006 was, once again, looking bright to the airline. The aircraft leased to Etihad finally returned, and new international routes, from Guarulhos to London and from Rio de Janeiro to Paris, were announced. This also prompted the airline to order an extra 6 A330-200s. This year also marked the end of the hegemony of the A330-200 in TAM’s long-haul operations, as the airline also ordered 4 Boeing 777-300ERs, with options for another 4.
In the same year, VARIG also ceassed operations, turning TAM into Brazil’s new flag carrier. The airline responded with further international expansion, and, in desperate need of the 777s and A330s, but nowhere to be found, the airline used “creative” solutions under the form of the MD-11 and A340-500 until the desired aircraft arrived. In December 2007, two of the six new A330s arrived (PT-MVM and PT-MVN), with the other four (PT-MVO, PT-MVP, PT-MVQ and PT-MVR) following in late 2008. This new batch of A330s featured Pratt & Whitney engines and the shorter tail.
Four brand-new A330-200s, all with Pratt & Whitney engines, would be delivered in 2010 and 2011 (PT-MVS, PT-MVT, PT-MVU and PT-MVV), concluding the cycle of new A330 deliveries. Although the A330s seemed to be at their prime, their end was much closer than anyone could imagine. Around this time, Chile’s LAN bought TAM, forming the Latam Group. While initially both airlines kept their brands, the group’s fleet started to be simplified. LAN would give some of its 767-300ERs to TAM - some of the youngest 767-300ERs in the world - while it received brand-new 787 Dreamliners. With the 767s, as well as upcoming A350-900s, the A330-200 fleet started to be uncerimoniously retired.
PT-MVE was the first to leave the fleet, in August 2013, however mass retirement started in January 2014, with the retirement of PT-MVK. PT-MVR left the fleet in March, followed by PT-MVM and PT-MVO on the same day in April. PT-MVP was retired in May, and PT-MVH and PT-MVN followed in June. After an 8-month hiatus, retirements restarted in February 2015, as PT-MVU left the fleet - an aircraft that wasn’t even 4 years old at the time. PT-MVT and PT-MVG followed in March, and PT-MVV left in May. The pioneer PT-MVA was next, meeting its final fate at the desert in October, and PT-MVF followed in November. Starting 2016, the other pioneer, PT-MVB, was retired in January. In February, PT-MVS and PT-MVC followed within two days of each other. March saw PT-MVD and PT-MVL leaving the fleet. April 2016 saw the final A330 remaining, PT-MVQ, leave the fleet. A month later, in May 2016, the TAM brand would cease to exist, with both the TAM and LAN brands being unified under a new Latam identity.
Going from an Air Taxi, to a regional airline with the Fokker F27s, becoming a major domestic player with the Fokker 100s, and finally becoming a respected international airline with the Airbus A330-200, the type was the final step into TAM’s climb to glory, cementing the airline as one of the largest and most important in the world. Serving as the backbone of TAM’s international network for nearly 20 years, and potentially being retired prematurely following the merger into Latam, TAM’s livery is a must have on the A330-200. This livery would be especially impactful, as it is one of the few TAM liveries for which a request can be made, as the A330-200 was retired just before the TAM and LAN brands were unified into Latam, meaning none received the Latam livery (unfortunately, current rules prohibit either TAM or LAN livery request for a type that has a Latam livery applied to at least one airframe).
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