Etihad Airways has firmed up its order with Airbus for seven new generation A350F freighters, following its earlier commitment announced at the Singapore Airshow. The freighters will upgrade Etihad’s freight capacity by deploying the most efficient cargo aircraft available in the market.

This order of the A350F sees the national carrier of the UAE expanding its relationship with Airbus, and adding to its existing order of the largest passenger version of A350-1000s, five of which have been delivered.

Etihad has also firmed up a long term agreement for Airbus’ Flight Hour Services (FHS) to support its entire A350 fleet, to maintain aircraft performance and optimise reliability. This marks the first agreement for an Airbus FHS contract for an A350-fleet in the Middle East. Separately,  Etihad  has also opted for Airbus’ Skywise Health Monitoring,  allowing the airline to access real-time management of aircraft events and troubleshooting, saving time and decreasing the cost of unscheduled maintenance.

More than 70% of the airframe of the A350F is made of advanced materials, resulting in a 30 ton lighter take-off weight and generating at least 20% lower fuel consumption and emissions over its current closest competitor. The A350F fully meets ICAO’s enhanced CO₂ emissions standards coming into effect in 2027. Including today’s commitment the A350F has won 31 firm orders by six customers.

The A350F meets the imminent wave of large freighter replacements and the evolving environmental requirements, shaping the future of air freight. The A350F will be powered by the latest technology, fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines.

Etihad Airways aircraft photo gallery: