If it ai n't broke , do n't fix it , the old adage goes . Yet that 's exactly what Airbus is doing to its successful A330 model in order to up its stakes in the skies . Airbus will launch the A330neo range , a revamped version of A330 airliner , the company announced Monday at the 2014 Farnborough International Airshow held in England . The new wide-body planes will compete with Boeing 's Dreamliner 787 . `` The A330 has been one of our most successful aircraft in the Airbus wide-body family , '' said Kiran Rao , Airbus ' executive vice president of strategy and marketing . Airbus has sold more than 1,300 A330 airplanes to nearly 100 customers worldwide , making it one of the most successful aircraft in the wide-body category , Rao said . `` What we are doing is making this aircraft , which is already great , better , '' he said . The newly launched A330-800neo and the A330-900neo ( enhanced versions of the A330-200 and A330 -- 300 models , respectively ) will feature several new features , according to Airbus , not the least of which is a vast improvement in fuel efficiency . With the help of new Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines , an 800 kilograms reduction in weight of the aircraft , and a new aerodynamic design featuring a 64 meters wingspan and curved wingtips , the new airliner will see a 14 % reduction in fuel consumption per seat . `` We enjoy very good sales of the A330 , but we were listening to our customers . People were telling us , your aircraft is fantastic , but would be even more fantastic if you could achieve a better level of fuel burn , '' Fabrice Brégier , president and CEO of Airbus , told CNN . But not everyone is convinced by Airbus ' claims of better fuel efficiency . Boeing 's marketing head , Randy Tinseth , said he found Airbus ' estimate `` extraordinarily optimistic , '' according to the Wall Street Journal . Brégier also admitted that since the investment was not planned , the new model will increase Airbus ' development costs through 2017 . He also said he anticipated the A330neo family would ultimately improve profits , and that he expects to sell at least 1,000 of the aircraft , which will be available for delivery by the end of 2017 , during the week-long airshow . Previous experience suggests that Brégier has a point . Sales for Airbus ' A320neo , a similarly updated version of their older , single-aisle A320 model , has been off the charts , with over 2,800 orders since it was launched in 2010 , the company said . The new models are appealing to airlines as they tend to be cheaper than completely new designs . Still , the reduced cost , though attractive , is not the only feature likely to bring in new customers . The new aircraft also come outfitted with updated controls in the cockpit , and a larger rest area for cabin crew . Rao says that customers will be please with wider seats ( 18 inches in economy ) and an updated in-flight entertainment system that will allow passengers to watch movies in 3D .
Airbus is launching the A330neo range , a revamped version of its successful A330 models . The new aircraft will be powered by two engines and feature an updated cabin with more legroom for passengers. Airbus ' new wide-body planes will compete with Boeing 's Dreamliner 787 .