Lufthansa issued this statement and this Airbus photo about its first Airbus A350, namely the pictured A350-941 D-AIXA (msn 074):
The Lufthansa Airbus was in the so-called โpaint shopโ in the Airbus plant in Toulouse for eleven days, and then the moment arrived โ the first A350-900 with white Lufthansa paint and blue lettering was ready to go. 30 people worked on the task, painting a total surface area of around 2,100 square meters.
This is the first time that the official identification code of D-AIXA has been seen. The use of an โXโ follows in the style of the Airbus designation โA350 XWBโ (extra wide body) โ the cabin width of the A350-900 measures a generous 5.6 meters and gives passengers a great feeling of space.
The first ten Lufthansa Airbus A350-900 aircraft will be stationed in Munich for the coming winter. Delhi and Boston will be the first destinations to be served. The plane has space for 293 passengers โ 48 in Business Class, 21 in Premium Economy and 224 in Economy Class. The A350-900 is the most modern and the most environmentally friendly long-haul aircraft in service world-wide. In comparison with similar types of aircraft, it uses 25 percent less kerosene and produces 25 percent fewer emissions, and the noise โfootprintโ produced by the A350-900 is up to 50 percent smaller.
Finnair (Helsinki) has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with GE Capital Aviation Services Limited (GECAS), on the sale and leaseback of two Airbus A350-900 aircraft. The financing will cover Finnairโs 6th and 7th A350 deliveries, which are currently scheduled to enter the Finnair fleet in July 2016 and February 2017, respectively. The value of the transaction at present foreign exchange rates is approximately 265 million euro. The lease period is 12 years, and it includes extension options.
Finnair has ordered a total of 19 new A350-900 XWB aircraft in the fleet or on order. Finnair took delivery of its first A350 aircraft (OH-LWA) on October 7, 2015 and the second (OH-LWB, above) on December 14, 2015. According to the currently anticipated delivery schedule, Finnair will have five A350-900 aircraft at the beginning of the second quarter of 2016, seven by the end of 2016, 11 by the end of 2017, and 19 by the end of 2023.
Disclosures on financing arrangements for the A350 aircraft will be made as those agreements are finalized. Finnairโs fleet consists of both owned and leased aircraft.
Copyright Photo: Eurospot/AirlinersGallery.com. The second Finnair Airbus A350-941 (OH-LWB, msn 019) is also the first A350 to appear in the oneworld special livery.
LATAM Airlines Group, made up of LAN Airlines (Santiago) and TAM Airlines (TAM Linhas Aereas) (Sao Paulo), has taken delivery of its first A350-900 in Toulouse, France.
In doing so, TAM will become the first airline in the Americas to operate the all-new airliner and the fourth worldwide. TAMโs aircraft is configured in a premium two-class layout, with 348 seats, comprising of 30 Premium Business Class and 318 Economy. LATAM has ordered a total of 27 A350-900s aircraft for the Group.
The carrier will start operating the A350-900 commercially in January 2016 between Sao Paulo and Manaus, Brazil, as part of continued training and crew familiarization. This will be followed by operations from Sao Paulo to Miami in March and then to Madrid in April.
Copyright Photo: Eurospot/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A350-941 F-WZFS (msn 024) became PR-XTA when it was officially handed over on December 17.
Qatar Airways (Doha) on December 9 launched its new “Going Places Together” worldwide ad campaign with this new video and press release:
Qatar Airways successfully launched its new global brand campaign and tagline โ Going Places Together โ at a press conference in New York on December 9. The unveiling of the new campaign was well received by the international media and VIP guests who attended.
The press conference was hosted by Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, who said, โThis campaign is all about the coming of age for this airline โ taking a life of its own with a future that blossoms into a treasure each and every day. Itโs about going places โ literally and figuratively. We value each journey we take with our guests on board, and the overall experience of going places together.โ
Top Video: Qatar Airways.
Photo Above: Qatar Airways.ย Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker celebrates landing of the first Airbus A350 in the US.
Drawing together a series of interconnected themes, the re-brand is a fresh and even more emotionally engaging direction for the airline, which has developed its messaging strategy to reflect its evolution as a brand and its global role as a leader in the airline industry.
One of the fastest growing airlines operating one of the youngest fleets in the world, Qatar Airways has adopted the emotive and modern brand campaign to reflect its core values as a contemporary and innovative company that is really going places and wants nothing more than to inspire its passengers to do the same.
At the heart of the campaign is the concept of the airline connecting people both physically and emotionally with any of the 153 places on its global network on board one of its 173 state-of-the-art aircraft. The theme of connectivity extends to the warm welcome every passenger receives when they board a Qatar Airways flight from the friendly and helpful cabin crew who are hand-picked for their natural ability to make personal connections with every passenger they meet.
The new campaign, which debuted in Qatarโs newspapers, television and out-of-home on Tuesday, will now roll out across global media channels including platforms such as the New York Times, CNN, Financial Times and Times Square billboards.The campaign celebrations began in New York on Tuesday when Qatar Airways became the first commercial airline to land an Airbus A350 in the United States. Qatar Airways was the global launch carrier of the A350 and is the first to fly the aircraft to three continents; the airlineโs fleet of seven A350s currently flies twice a day to Frankfurt, double daily to Munich and three times a day to Singapore from Doha.
An eighth A350 will join the fleet before the end of the year and is scheduled to fly daily to Philadelphia from January 1, 2016. As further A350s join the fleet throughout 2016 passengers will have the opportunity to experience this new-generation aircraft on flights to Boston launching on March 16, and the new second daily flight to New York from April 1 and Adelaide, Australia from May 2.
Editorial Note: As previously reported on our World Airline News Facebook page, the first Airbus A350 departure from New York (JFK) was marred by an aborted takeoff (see video below):
Finnair (Helsinki) and Jetstar Asia (Singapore) launch a codeshare cooperation today that will provide Finnair customers with a wider choice of destinations and departure times across Asia and Australia.
From December 15, 2015, Finnair customers will be able to travel on codeshare services operated by Jetstar Asia to and from its Singapore hub.
Finnair customers will benefit from the convenience of the single ticket itinerary that includes Finnairโs baggage allowance. The passengers will also enjoy a seamless transfer at Singapore Changi Airport, with baggage being through-checked and onward boarding passes being received at the initial departure point.
Finnair’s code will be added to Jetstar Asia’s flights between Singapore as well as Penang and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, Phuket in Thailand and Perth and Darwin in Australia.
Copyright Photo: Antony J. Best/AirlinersGallery.com.ย Finnair’s first Airbus A350-941, registered as OH-LWA (msn 018), departs from London’s Heathrow Airport.
Singapore Airlines‘ (Singapore) first A350-900 has been revealed in the airlineโs livery following completion of painting in Toulouse. The aircraft is now set to move to the next stages of production, including the installation of engines and cabin furnishing, before starting ground and flight tests. The aircraft is scheduled for delivery to Singapore Airlines in the first quarter of 2016.
Singapore Airlines has ordered a total of 67 A350s and will operate the aircraft on long haul routes to Europe as well as on ultra-long range nonstop services to US and selected regional routes.
As previously reported, Singapore Airlines has selected Airbusโ newly launched Ultra-Long Range version of the A350-900 for nonstop flights to the US. Under an amendment to the carrierโs existing order for 63 A350-900s, seven of the aircraft will now be delivered with an Ultra-Long Range capability for flights of up to 19 hours. In addition, the carrier has placed an additional order for four A350-900s, taking its total firm orders for the A350 XWB Family to 67.
Optimized for nonstop flights to the US, the aircraft, designated A350-900ULR (Ultra-Long Range), will โinclude a modified fuel system to increase the fuel carrying capacity, an increase in Maximum Take-Off Weight, plus aerodynamic improvements, enabling service to the US West Coast, as well as to New York.
Representing a distance of some 8,700 nautical miles, the New York service will be the worldโs longest commercial passenger route, with an expected flight time of up to 19 hours. Moreover, the unique flexibility offered by the A350 XWB allows operators to reconfigure their A350-900ULR to the standard long-haul A350-900 specification should they require it.
Photo: Airbus. Airbus A350-941 F-WZFU (msn 026) will become 9V-SMA on the hand over.
Singapore Airlines (Singapore) has announced Amsterdam will be the inaugural destination for its new-generation Airbus A350 fleet, with services expected to begin by April 2016.
Singapore Airlines has 63 A350-900s on firm order, the first of which is due for delivery in January 2016. Prior to the introduction of Amsterdam services, the aircraft will be operated on select Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur flights on a temporary basis, for crew training purposes.
Singapore Airlines has selected Airbusโ newly launched Ultra-Long Range version of the A350-900 for nonstop flights to the US. Under an amendment to the carrierโs existing order for 63 A350-900s, seven of the aircraft will now be delivered with an Ultra-Long Range capability for flights of up to 19 hours. In addition, the carrier has placed an additional order for four A350-900s, taking its total firm orders for the A350 XWB Family to 67.
Singapore Airlines expects to take delivery of 11 A350-900s in the aircraftโs first year of operation.
Finnair (Helsinki) today took delivery of its first new Airbus A350-941 OH-LWA (msn 018) as planned, becoming the first European airline to take delivery of the new type. The airline issued this statement:
The first of Finnair’s next-generation Airbus A350 XWB aircraft has been unveiled today at a special delivery ceremony at the Airbus delivery centre in Toulouse, France.
Finnair is the first European airline to fly the Airbus A350 XWB.
“This moment heralds a new and exciting chapter in Finnair’s 92 year history. The A350 is the future of flying and will give our passengers a completely new and enhanced travel experience,” said Finnair CEO, Pekka Vauramo.
“This is also a proud moment for all Finnair employees who have worked relentlessly on the Finnair A350 programme. From route planning to pilots and cabin crew, from technical services to marketing, this is the moment we have worked for. With the A350, we get the fleet that our strategy requires, and we can start building our growth,” Vauramo continued.
“At Airbus, we’re proud and delighted to see Finnair, one of the worldโs longest-standing and most respected airlines, become the first European carrier to fly the A350,โ said Fabrice Brรฉgier, Airbus President and CEO. โThe A350’s unrivalled fuel efficiency and passenger comfort make it the perfect aircraft to spearhead Finnair’s Asian expansion.โ”
Above Photos: Finnair and Airbus.
Finnair intends to double its Asian traffic by 2020 from the 2010 baseline, and the A350 fleet investment is the backbone of this strategy. The company has ordered a total of 19 A350’s, making it the biggest investment in Finnair’s history. The first four aircraft are expected to arrive in the fleet in 2015, with another seven being delivered in 2016 and 2017. The complete order will be fulfilled by 2023.
The new A350 aircraft also plays a key role in Finnair’s cargo strategy, providing up to 50% more cargo capacity by 2020.
The A350’s first scheduled commercial flight, from Helsinki to Amsterdam and Oslo will be on October 9, 2015 as part of its crew familiarisation tour. The first Finnair Airbus A350 XWB will enter into long-haul service on November 21, 2015 on Finnair’s Helsinki-Shanghai route.
In other news,ย Finnair continues to expand its Asian traffic, opening two Asian destinations, Fukuoka in Japan and Guangzhou in China for the summer season 2016.
Finnair will open a direct route to Fukuoka in southern Japan in spring 2016, with three weekly frequencies. The service to Fukuoka makes Finnair the only European airline to operate to four different cities in Japan – Finnair currently offers daily connections to Tokyo Narita, Nagoya and Osaka.
Finnair will also open a direct route to China, and will fly direct from its Helsinki hub to Guangzhou in China with four weekly frequencies between May 6 and October 29, 2016.
Guangzhou is Finnair’s sixth destination in Greater China. Finnair has year-round services to Beijing, Chongqing, Hong Kong and Shanghai, and a summer service to Xi’an.
Both destinations will be served with Finnair’s Airbus A330 aircraft.
Finnair (Helsinki) has issued this financial fleet guidance as it prepares to accept its first Airbus A350-900:
Finnair, which is the European launch customer for the Airbus A350-900 XWB, is preparing to receive its first A350 delivery from Airbus in early October.
As Finnair announced in December 2013, it has made sale and leaseback agreements for its two first A350 aircraft with GECAS (GE Capital Aviation Services). These agreements will be concluded in connection with the delivery of the respective aircraft, and the value of the transaction is approximately EUR 260 million.
It has also been stated previously that non-recurring items associated with the long haul fleet renewal in 2015 will have a substantial positive impact on Finnairโs operating result due to the strengthened US Dollar. This separate guidance covered the sale and leaseback agreements for Finnairโs first two A350s, constituting a significant positive impact, as well as the phase out of all Finnairโs remaining A340-300s, which will involve non-recurring costs primarily materialising in 2015. The remainder of these costs, presently estimated at below EUR 10 million, will be booked in 2016.
Calculated at present exchange rates, the positive net impact of these arrangements on Finnairโs operating profit in H2/2015 is expected to amount to approximately EUR 70 million.
Finnair has ordered a total of 19 new A350-900 XWB aircraft, and under the target delivery schedule it will receive four aircraft in the second half of 2015, seven in 2016โ2017 and eight in 2018โ2023.
Finnair will dispose of the seven A340-300 aircraft it currently operates by the end of 2017, replacing them as the A350s are delivered and enter into service on Finnairโs scheduled traffic routes.
Airbus has agreed to acquire four A340-300 aircraft currently owned by Finnair in 2016 and 2017.
Since the arrangements relating to both sale and leaseback of the A350s and the sale of A340-300s are denominated in US Dollars, the final financial impact depends on the EUR/USD exchange rate prevailing at the time of delivery of the respective aircraft.
Disclosures on financing arrangements for the A350 aircraft other than the first two to be delivered will be made as those agreements are finalized. Finnairโs fleet consists of both owned and leased aircraft.
Top Copyright Photo: Eurospot/AirlinersGallery.com. The firstย Finnair Airbus A350-941 is the pictured F-WZFM (msn 018) on a test flight at Toulouse. It will become OH-LWA when it is handed over on October 7, 2015.
Finnair aircraft slide show:ย
Bottom Copyright Photo: Ton Jochems/AirlinersGallery.com. The last aging Airbus A340-300 will be retired at the end of 2017. Airbus A340-313 OH-LQB (msn 835) taxies at Brussels.
Airline Aircraft Type “Endangered Species List” (aircraft types soon to be retired) (click on the photo below for the full list):
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Finnair (Helsinki) will welcome its first Airbus A350-900 aircraft from Airbus in a delivery ceremony to be arranged on October 7, 2015. Finnair has 19 Airbus A350 XWB aircraft on order, to be received in 2015-2023.
Finnairโs first Airbus A350-900 enters into long-haul service on November 21, 2015 when the aircraft flies from Helsinki to Shanghai. The next A350 long haul destinations include Beijing, Bangkok, Hong Kong and Singapore as previously announced. Finnair will also take the aircraft to New York later this year, becoming the first airline in the world to fly to the US with this new aircraft type.
For the first few weeks, the new aircraft will serve crew familiarization flights in Europe, with the first commercial flights taking place on October 9 to Amsterdam and Oslo.
The company continued;
Finnair has slightly adjusted its Airbus A350 long-haul launch schedule, due to changes in the expected delivery schedules of the companyโs first A350 aircraft, the needs of the crew familiarization program, and other operational factors. The company wants to offer the best possible customer experience for its customers, and has therefore adopted a slightly more conservative launch schedule than previously indicated.
โIntroducing 19 new aircraft into our fleet over a period of eight years is a major program for Finnair. We have built the necessary flexibility into our preparedness plans and our A340 exit plan to adjust to any changes that may arise over the course of this massive program, ensuring a smooth introduction of the new aircraft into our fleet,โ says Ville Iho.
Photo: F. Lancelot/Airbus. Airbus A350-941 F-WZFM (msn 018) arrives back at Toulouse on September 16 after its first flight. The new type will become OH-LWA on the handover.
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