Like the A340-200, a shortened derivative of the -300, the -500 was unpopular. The -500 series was considered "very inefficient for how few seats they have because they still carry most of the guts of the larger airplanes A340-600 from which they were shrunk". Also the ultra long-haul market was a niche that was difficult to profit from, due to the amount of fuel that had to be carried. In addition, the -500 could not meet its maximum range without carrying a reduced load of passengers, so several operators reconfigured their -500s from a mix of business and premium economy to an all-business-class with 100 seats. As of March 2020, there were 2 A340-500s in airline service, both with Azerbaijan Airlines.