Saab began production of the 340 in partnership with Fairchild Aircraft in 1983 and the aircraft quickly became a popular turboprop airliner, used by a wide variety of civil operators and commercial airlines. The Saab 340 offers similar performance to the Dornier 328 Turboprop and is also similar in size, seating up to 33 passengers in an economy configuration, although variations of this formation exist, with some aircraft having 34 or 36 seats. Being a turboprop powered aircraft, the Saab 340 has a limited range, limiting it to short-haul flights. With large capacity and an excellent price, the Saab 340 represents an excellent solution to short-distance travel needs.