Airbus (Toulouse) has issued this statement and photo of the first Airbus A350 for Vietnam Airlines (Hanoi):
The first A350 XWB for Vietnam Airlines has been rolled out of the Airbus paint shop in Toulouse on Friday March 6, featuring the airlineโs updated (2014) distinctive blue and gold lotus livery.
The aircraft, which will be leased from AerCap, is now entering the advanced stage of production. This will include installation of the engines, completion of cabin furnishing, and cockpit fitting, followed by ground and flight tests. The aircraft is scheduled for delivery in the middle of the year.
Vietnam Airlines will become the first Asian airline to fly the A350 XWB and the second operator in the world. Vietnam Airlines will acquire 14 A350 XWBs, including ten on order from Airbus and four under lease agreements. The carrier will operate its A350 XWB fleet on premium long haul routes, beginning with services between Hanoi and Paris.
At the end of February 2015, the A350 XWB had won 780 firm orders from 40 customers worldwide.
Photos: Airbus. The first A350-941 will use the temporary marks of F-WZFI. It will become VN-A886 (msn 014) on delivery in June.
Qatar Airways (Doha) has scheduled a number of Airbus A350-900 flights on the short Doha – Dubai route according to Airline Route during the month of March giving travelers a chance to sample the new type on a much shorter route. The A350-900 is currently in service between Doha and Frankfurt, the first route for the new type.
In other news, Qatar Airways Cargo is launching freighter service to EuroAirport serving the Basel/Mulhouse/Freiburg area. The new route will operate weekly with Airbus A330-200F freighters on the Doha-Brussels-EuroAirport (Basel)-Doha route.
Copyright Photo: Bernhard Ross/AirlinersGallery.com. Captured in beautiful light, newly-delivered Airbus A350-941 A7-ALA (msn 006) is seen at its first destination, Frankfurt. A7-ALA was handed over to the carrier on December 22 and entered service on the route on January 15.
Qatar Airways (Doha) today (January 15), as planned, inaugurated and operated the first revenue flight of the new Airbus A350-900. Flight QR 067 departed from Doha’s new Hamad International Airport this morning at 0810 local time bound for Frankfurt. The flight arrived at FRA at 1206 CET local time.
More to come on the arrival in Frankfurt.
In other news, Qatar Airways has announced theย launch of new direct flights from Doha to Sofia from March, a destination currently served by the airline via Bucharest.
Frequencies are also increasing from Doha to Ankara, which will be served by a six weekly flight connection instead of five from March 1, while capacity will increase to Zagreb with an additional direct flight per week, increasing the frequency from four to five direct flights weekly.
Photo: Qatar Airways. The inaugural pushback from Doha today.
Qatar Airways (Doha) will introduce the first Airbus A350-900 (A350 XWB) tomorrow (January 15) on the Doha – Frankfurt route. On March 1 the carrier will add a second daily A350 flight on the route.
Airbus (Toulouse) today (December 22) delivered the first Airbus A350 to launch customer Qatar Airways (Doha). The pictured A350-941 A7-ALA (msn 006, ex F-WZFA) was handed over in a ceremony at Toulouse. Airbus issued this statement and photos:
Airbus has delivered the first A350 XWB, the worldโs latest generation widebody airliner, to launch customer Qatar Airways. The A350 XWB redefines the way people fly for the coming decades and opens up a new era in comfortable, efficient long-haul air travel when it enters service with Qatar Airways, renowned for leading the industry to new heights in service excellence.
The A350 XWB embodies the most advanced technologies and breakthrough innovations in aerodynamics, light-weight materials and aircraft systems. Powered by ultra-fuel-efficient and very quiet Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines and an extra-wide, bright and spacious cabin, the A350 XWB promises to be a firm favourite with travellers who will discover a whole new way of flying. Airlines will also benefit from unequalled levels of operating efficiency and cost effectiveness.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said, โReceiving the A350 XWB as global launch customer is a very proud moment for Qatar Airways, and after much anticipation, I am delighted that the day has come when we will welcome this latest generation aircraft into our rapidly expanding fleet.
โIn the seven years since we first placed our order for this new aircraft type at the Paris Air Show, investing in a partnership programme with Airbus, there has been significant growth in the airline industry. I am confident that this increase in passenger numbers around the world will only increase further in the years to come, and delighted that Qatar Airways will be leading the way in the aviation sector in offering our passengers the opportunity to travel on board the most modern of airliners in the sky.โ
John Rishton, Rolls-Royce, Chief Executive Officer said: โWe are very proud to have worked with Qatar Airways and Airbus on the A350 XWB, using the latest technology to deliver new standards in customer service. This is a very important day for everyone at Rolls-Royce. It is the culmination of years of hard work and the start of a new chapter for our business.โ
Fabrice Brรฉgier, Airbus President and CEO said: โHanding over the first A350 XWB represents a significant step in Airbus and aviation history. The A350 XWB becomes the most modern aircraft in service, developed with our excellence established over 45 years in meeting our customersโ needs. The A350 XWB is the latest Airbus aircraft to join the skies, revolutionising our industry and redefining the way people fly.โ He adds: โIt is with tremendous pride that we are delivering our first A350 XWB today to our launch customer, Qatar Airways. Itโs a perfect match, to be handing over the first of an all-new, world class aircraft to a leading, world class airline.โ
Video:ย Follow the initial Airbus A350-900 aircraft for global launch customer Qatar Airways through the manufacturing process โ from delivery of components to the final assembly line in Toulouse, France to its maiden flight in autumn 2014. The video also highlights the โXtraโ that makes the difference for this Airbus next-generation widebody jetliner โ including its spacious and comfortable cabin, use of advanced composite materials along with the aircraftโs highly-efficient and quiet Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines.
Qatar Airways (Doha) will now take delivery of its first Airbus A350-900 on Monday, December 22. Apparently the previous unspecified issues that delayed the original handover date have been worked out. Qatar Airways will now receive the pictured A350-941 F-WZFA/A7-ALA (msn 006) on Monday as the launch customer of the new type and the first airline to take delivery.
Airbus issued this statement:
The historic delivery of Airbusโ first A350 XWB โ which is to be received on December 22 by launch customer Qatar Airways โ will mark another major milestone for this advanced widebody jetliner that is setting new standards in terms of passenger comfort, operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
The A350 XWB program has been particularly busy during 2014 as Airbus and other stakeholders worked toward the headline-making initial handover. This activity was highlighted by the continuation and completion of A350-900 flight testing; which was followed by Type Certification by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), received in September and November, respectively.
Lasting just over 14 months, which is an industry record, the A350-900 flight test and certification programme comprised a five-aircraft fleet which performed over 2,600 flight hours in total. During this campaign, Airbus successfully completed the certification trials which took the airframe and its systems beyond their design limits to ensure airworthiness criteria are fully met.
The remarkable fuel-efficiency is the product of cutting-edge technology. More than two-thirds of this jetlinerโs airframe is made from composite materials, titanium and advanced aluminium alloys. The fuselage and wings are built from carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic. The latest aerodynamics sharpen the A350โs operational efficiency, while its Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines use the most advanced propulsion technology.
At the end of November 2014, the A350 XWB had logged 778 firm orders from 41 customers worldwide. To meet this demand, Airbus is ramping up production progressively to reach the planned rate of 10 aircraft per month by 2018.
Finnair (Helsinki) in the fall of 2015 will take delivery of its first Airbus A350, specially the pictured A350-941 (msn 018).
Airbus has issued this picture and short message:
The first A350-900 for Finnair is taking shape in the Roger Bรฉteille Final Assembly Line (FAL) in Toulouse, France. Finnair will be the first European airline to fly the A350 XWB and the third operator in the world. Scheduled for delivery in autumn 2015 the aircraft is now in the fuselage section joining phase.
Following this, the aircraft will move to wing junction, cabin installation and first power-on, all achieved in one single station. Once these phases are completed, the aircraft will undergo system tests, cabin completion, painting and engine installation before starting the delivery process, including flight testing.
Finnair has a total of 19 A350 XWB on order. The aircraft will be deployed on Finnairโs long-haul routes to Asia and America.
Finnair (Helsinki) has firmed up the eight Airbus A350 XWB aircraft options in its 2006 A350 order placed with Airbus. The eight A350s will be delivered to Finnair starting in 2018. The firm up of the options increases the total number of Finnair’s A350 orders to 19.
Finnairโs current long-haul fleet consists of seven Airbus A340 aircraft and eight A330 aircraft. The long-haul fleet is planned to grow, on average, by one new-generation energy-efficient aircraft per year between 2016 and 2020. Based on the current delivery schedule of A350s, Finnair will receive the first four aircraft in the second half of 2015, seven A350s between 2016 and 2017, and eight A350s between 2018 and 2023. Finnair plans to phase out its A340 aircraft by the end of 2017, following the successful delivery and entry into service of A350 XWB. As a part of the deal Airbus has also agreed to acquire four Airbus A340-300 aircraft currently owned by Finnair in 2016 and 2017.
Qatar Airways (Doha) has delayed “indefinitely” the delivery of the first Airbus A350-900. According to AFP an Airbus spokesperson statedย “We are working very closely with Qatar Airways to meet our common goal to deliver the first A350 XWB very soon”. No reason for the delay was given. The delivery of the first Airbus A380 was also delayed previously.
Qatar Airwaysย and Airbus (Toulouse) had previously announced the delivery of the first of its 80 Airbus A350 XWB aircraft was set to take place in Toulouse, France, on Saturday, December 13. The pictured A350-941 F-WZFA (msn 006) was due to be handed over as A7-ALA.
The first commercial service was due to be on the Doha-Frankfurt route starting on January 15, 2015 but this is now delayed.
Qatar Airways (Doha) and Airbus (Toulouse) have announced the highly anticipated date of the official delivery of the first of its 80 Airbus A350 XWB aircraft on order, set to take place in Toulouse, France, on Saturday, December 13. The pictured A350-941 F-WZFA (msn 006) will be handed over as A7-ALA.
The first commercial service will be deployed on the Doha-Frankfurt route starting on January 15, 2015.
Over 70 percent of the A350 XWB’s weight-efficient airframe is made from advanced materials combining composites (53 percent), titanium and advanced aluminium alloys. The aircraft’s innovative all-new Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) fuselage results in lower fuel burn as well as easier maintenance.
Qatar Airways has seen rapid growth in just 17 years of operation, to the point where today it is flying a modern fleet of 142 aircraft to 145 key business and leisure destinations across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, North America and South America.
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