British Airways takes delivery of its first A350-1000

British Airways (BA) has taken delivery of its first A350-1000 at Airbus Headquarters in Toulouse, France, making it the first operator of the larger A350-1000 in International Airlines Group (IAG). In total, BA has ordered 18 A350-1000s. Iberia which is also part of IAG already operates  five of the smaller A350-900s.

BA’s A350 with its modern and comfortable Airspace cabin will usher in new levels of comfort with the launch of the Club Suite, the first new business class seat for British Airways in 13 years. The airline's sophisticated and newly-branded 'Club Suite' offers direct-aisle access, a suite door for greater privacy and luxurious flat-bed seats in a 1-2-1 configuration.

The three class layout includes 56 Club Suites, 56 World Traveller Plus and 219 World Traveller economy seats.

BA, celebrating its 100th anniversary, will initially use the aircraft to fly between London and Madrid prior to flying long-haul routes from September.

BA operates a fleet of over 150 Airbus aircraft from the smallest A318 to the largest A380.

The A350 XWB offers by design unrivalled operational flexibility and efficiency for all market segments up to ultra-long haul (15,000km). It features the latest aerodynamic design, a carbon fibre fuselage and wings, plus new fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce engines. Together, these latest technologies translate into unrivalled levels of operational efficiency, with a 25 per cent reduction in fuel burn and emissions. The A350 XWB’s Airspace by Airbus cabin is the quietest of any twin-aisle and offers passengers and crews the most modern in-flight products for the most comfortable flying experience.

At the end of June 2019, the A350 XWB Family had received 893 firm orders from 51 customers worldwide, making it one of the most successful wide-body aircraft ever.

Cathay Pacific becomes second operator of the A350-1000 widebody

Increased capacity and highest levels of comfort for the airline’s longest flights

Cathay Pacific Airways has become the second airline to operate the A350-1000, the world’s newest long-range widebody airliner. The airline took delivery of the aircraft at a special event in Toulouse, France.

The aircraft is the first of 20 A350-1000s ordered by Cathay Pacific and will join the carrier’s growing fleet of A350 XWB aircraft, which already includes 22 A350-900s. Both aircraft are complementary and provide for maximum commonality with unmatched operating efficiencies, while offering passengers the highest levels of comfort in all classes. Travellers will benefit from absolute well-being in the cabin, with more personal space, optimised cabin altitude, more fresh air, controlled temperature and humidity, integrated connectivity and the latest-generation in-flight entertainment system.

With its true long-range capability, the A350-1000 will form an important part of Cathay Pacific long-haul operations. The aircraft will be deployed on the airline’s new non-stop route from Hong Kong to Washington D.C., representing the longest flight – approximately 17 hours – performed by any airline out of Hong Kong.

Paul Loo, Cathay Pacific Chief Customer and Commercial Officer, said: “We already have one of the youngest long-haul fleets in the sky, and with the arrival of the A350-1000, our fleet is only going to get younger. The aircraft follows the successful entry of the A350-900 variant which has enabled us to expand our long-haul network at a near unprecedented rate. The A350-1000 has an incredible range, is remarkably fuel efficient and quiet, provides customers with an unsurpassed cabin environment and has extremely attractive operating economics.”

Eric Schulz, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer, said: “We are proud to deliver the A350-1000 to our long-standing customer Cathay Pacific. Bringing major advantages in fuel and cost efficiency along with unrivalled passenger comfort, the A350-1000 is the perfect platform for Cathay Pacific to increase capacity on some of its longest routes. The combination of the world’s newest widebody and Cathay Pacific’s world famous in-flight service will ensure that the airline can strengthen its position even further as one of the world’s leading international carriers.”

The A350-1000 is the latest member of Airbus’ leading widebody family, showing high level of commonality with the A350-900 with 95 percent common systems part numbers and the same Type Rating. As well as having a longer fuselage to accommodate 40 percent larger premium area (compared to the A350-900), the A350-1000 also features a modified wing trailing edge, new six-wheel main landing gears and more powerful Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines. Along with the A350-900, the A350-1000 is shaping the future of air travel by offering unprecedented levels of efficiency and unrivalled comfort in its ‘Airspace’ cabin. With its additional capacity, the A350-1000 is perfectly tailored for some of the busiest long-haul routes. To date, 11 customers from five continents have ordered a total of 168 A350-1000s.