The Airbus A300 is a short-to-medium-range widebody jet airliner. The A300 can typically seat 266 passengers in a two-class layout, with a maximum range of 4,070 nautical miles (7,540 km) when fully loaded, depending on model. Airbus partners employed the latest technology, some derived from the Concorde. It has high power Pratt & Whitney PW4000 engines and uses the Honeywell 331-250 auxiliary power unit. On entry into service in 1974, the A300 was very advanced and influenced later subsonic airliner designs.

This specific A300-600 is painted in the American Airlines paint scheme. American Airlines, Inc. (AA) is the world's fourth largest airline in passenger miles transported, and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas.