This Middle East-based operator adds the stretched-fuselage A350 XWB to its growing fleet of A350-900s
The largest A350 XWB customer has taken first delivery of Airbus’ largest version of the jetliner – the A350-1000 – providing Qatar Airways with both versions of the aircraft that is delivering the future of air travel to an increasing number of airlines around the world.
After a gala delivery ceremony yesterday evening at Airbus’ headquarters in the Toulouse region of southern France – and location of the A350 XWB final assembly line – the first-delivered A350-1000 was flown this morning to Qatar Airways’ home base of Doha.
Qatar Airways, which has ordered 39 A350-900s and 37 A350-1000s, will benefit from the significant commonality between the two aircraft that share 95 percent common system part numbers and the same type rating, allowing airlines to efficiently operate both A350 XWB Family variants. The A350-1000’s fuselage is seven metres longer than its smaller brethren, providing greater capacity (40 more seats in a typical three-class cabin configuration) that perfectly matches airlines’ needs on their busiest long-haul routes while giving the flexibility to provide a larger premium seating area.
Worldwide visibility and performance
As of mid-February 2018, 150 A350-900s had been delivered to 17 operators worldwide, reflecting the fastest Airbus widebody production ramp-up since the initial operator – also Qatar Airways – took possession of its first aircraft in 2014. The new A350-1000 is building on the success of the A350-900 and its proven excellent operational performance during its past three years in service. Most recently, the fourth quarter of 2017 saw an excellent operational reliability of more than 99.2 percent (based on a three-month rolling average).
The delivery to Qatar Airways brought this airline’s A350 XWB fleet to 22 jetliners. It came on the heels of a demonstration tour performed by an A350-1000 test aircraft that flew some 64,000 kilometres as it visited 12 cities across the Middle East and Asia-Pacific region.
With its longer fuselage, the A350-1000 brings upsized efficiency, maximum reliability and unique passenger comfort in its Airspace cabin (the quietest of any twin-aisle jetliner) for fast-growing regions of the global airline marketplace. Qatar Airways’ first A350-1000 features the new and unique Qsuite – the airline’s signature business class seating that offers a new level of innovation for in-flight comfort.
Release and photo Airbus
