EC-MQM Plus Ultra lineas Aereas Airbus A340-300

Four engines. More than two decades of long-haul flying. Two European airlines and destinations across several continents.

Airbus A340-300 EC-MQM represents an era of aviation that has almost disappeared from European skies.

Built in 2001, the aircraft began its career with Air France as F-GNII before joining Spanish carrier Plus Ultra Líneas Aéreas in 2017. There, it became an important part of the airline's long-haul fleet and eventually its final Airbus A340.

When EC-MQM left Madrid for the last time in March 2025, it did more than end its own flying career. Its departure marked the end of the Airbus A340 era at Plus Ultra.

After retirement, part of its genuine fuselage skin was preserved by Aircrafttag, allowing a physical piece of this four-engine long-haul aircraft to continue its journey.

The Story Begins with Air France

EC-MQM was built as an Airbus A340-313X with manufacturer serial number MSN 399.

Its first airline was Air France.

Delivered in April 2001 with the registration F-GNII, the aircraft joined one of Europe's major long-haul fleets during a period when four-engine wide-body aircraft were still a common sight at international airports.

For Air France, the Airbus A340 was part of a global network connecting Paris with destinations around the world.

F-GNII spent almost 16 years with the French flag carrier.

During that time, long-haul aviation changed considerably. New generations of more efficient twin-engine aircraft increasingly began taking over routes that had traditionally been flown by aircraft with three or four engines.

In February 2017, F-GNII was withdrawn from Air France service.

But its flying career was far from over.

From F-GNII to EC-MQM

After leaving Air France, the aircraft found a new home in Spain.

In June 2017, it joined Plus Ultra Líneas Aéreas and received the Spanish registration EC-MQM.

The aircraft was also given the name Santa María Portugalete.

For Plus Ultra, the A340-300 offered exactly what a growing long-haul airline required: a wide-body aircraft capable of connecting Madrid with distant destinations without intermediate stops.

EC-MQM therefore began a completely new chapter.

After years of flying for one of Europe's largest airlines, the aircraft was now part of a much smaller Spanish carrier focused strongly on long-haul connections.

Plus Ultra and the Airbus A340

Plus Ultra Líneas Aéreas was founded in Madrid with a business model centred on long-haul flying.

Latin America became particularly important to the airline, reflecting the strong cultural and economic connections between Spain and the region.

The Airbus A340 was well suited to this role.

Its four-engine configuration and long range had originally been designed for exactly this kind of intercontinental operation.

For passengers and aviation enthusiasts alike, the A340 was also instantly recognizable.

Four CFM56 engines beneath a long swept wing gave the aircraft a silhouette belonging to a generation of long-haul aviation dominated by large multi-engine aircraft.

EC-MQM became part of this story with Plus Ultra in 2017.

A Long-Haul Aircraft from Another Era

The Airbus A340 first flew in 1991 and entered commercial service in 1993.

At the time, long-range twin-engine operations were still subject to considerably greater restrictions than today.

Four engines therefore offered airlines significant operational flexibility on routes crossing oceans and remote areas.

The A340-300 became one of the most successful members of the family.

But aviation technology continued to develop.

Aircraft such as the Boeing 777, Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 demonstrated that two increasingly powerful and reliable engines could efficiently perform missions that had once favoured four-engine aircraft.

As a result, four-engine passenger aircraft gradually disappeared from airline fleets.

The Airbus A340 became increasingly rare.

And that made EC-MQM increasingly special.

More Than Madrid to Latin America

Although Plus Ultra was strongly associated with connections between Spain and Latin America, EC-MQM's flying life was not limited to conventional scheduled services.

The aircraft's long-range capability allowed it to undertake unusual charter operations as well.

In 2023, for example, EC-MQM travelled as far as Australia as part of a charter operation for the World Marathon Challenge.

The aircraft flew from Madrid via Cape Town to Perth before continuing to Dubai.

For an Airbus A340 already more than two decades old, it was another demonstration of the type's ability to connect distant parts of the world.

EC-MQM had begun life with Air France.

It later connected Spain with destinations across the Atlantic.

And even late in its career, it was still crossing continents.

The Final A340 at Plus Ultra

Over time, Plus Ultra began transitioning away from the Airbus A340.

The airline increasingly concentrated its operation around the Airbus A330-200, a twin-engine wide-body capable of performing many of the same long-haul missions with a more modern operating concept.

One by one, the A340s disappeared.

Eventually, EC-MQM was the last one remaining.

This gave the aircraft a special place in the airline's history.

Every flight brought the end of Plus Ultra's four-engine era a little closer.

In early 2025, that moment finally arrived.

The Final Flight

On 31 March 2025, EC-MQM departed Madrid for the last time.

Its destination was Enschede in the Netherlands.

This was not another long-haul passenger service.

It was the aircraft's final journey.

After almost 24 years of service, first with Air France and later with Plus Ultra, the flying career of MSN 399 had come to an end.

The departure also closed another chapter.

With EC-MQM gone, Plus Ultra no longer operated the Airbus A340.

The airline's four-engine era was over.

The End of EC-MQM

At Enschede, EC-MQM was prepared for dismantling.

Aircraft reaching this stage can still provide considerable value. Engines, avionics, landing gear and many other components can be removed and returned to the aviation supply chain.

The remaining airframe can then be recycled.

By September 2025, EC-MQM had been broken up.

An aircraft that had crossed continents for almost a quarter of a century no longer existed as a complete Airbus A340.

But not every part of it disappeared.

From Airbus A340 to Aircrafttag

Part of the genuine fuselage skin of EC-MQM was preserved and transformed by Aircrafttag into collectible pieces of aviation history.

The aluminium once formed the exterior of a four-engine aircraft that had flown for both Air France and Plus Ultra Líneas Aéreas.

Its surface can still carry traces of that life.

Paint, scratches, marks and variations in the material are part of the original aircraft and its history.

Each Aircrafttag therefore connects directly back to Airbus A340-300 MSN 399.

The aircraft once known as Air France F-GNII.

And later as Plus Ultra EC-MQM.

Two Airlines. 24 Years. Four Engines.

EC-MQM's story spans almost a quarter of a century of long-haul aviation.

It began in 2001 with Air France as F-GNII.

In 2017, it became EC-MQM and started a second career with Plus Ultra Líneas Aéreas.

It crossed the Atlantic, connected continents and continued flying at a time when four-engine passenger aircraft were rapidly disappearing from commercial aviation.

Eventually, it became the final Airbus A340 in the Plus Ultra fleet.

On 31 March 2025, its flying career came to an end.

Today, the complete aircraft is gone.

But part of the genuine fuselage skin of Plus Ultra Airbus A340 EC-MQM has been preserved by Aircrafttag, allowing the story of this four-engine long-haul aircraft to continue beyond its final flight.