European aircraft manufacturer, Airbus has introduced a new Airbus A350-1000 aircraft into the market. The A350-1000 is Airbus’ latest and largest widebody aircraft in the twin-aisle category. With a 7-metre longer fuselage, the A350-1000 space for premium cabin products is 40 per cent larger than its smaller sibling the A350-900. The aircraft is the first of 37 A350-1000s built by Airbus. It is also the first ever Airbus aircraft fitted with the revolutionary new Qsuite seats, offering the first ever double bed in Business class. Qatar Airways made history over the weekend when it took delivery of the first of this A350-1000 widebody airliner at an event in Toulouse, France.
“Qatar Airways always demands the very best for its customers, so it is right that we are the first airline in the world to fly the Airbus A350-1000,” said Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, Mr. Akbar Al Baker.
“This remarkable state-of-the-art aircraft will become a firm part of Qatar Airways fleet and will keep us ahead of the curve, allowing us to continue to offer our passengers outstanding levels of comfort and service,”Al Baker added.
Responding on behalf of Airbus, Mr. Fabrice Brégier, said “It is a huge pride for us to deliver the very first A350-1000 to our launch customer Qatar Airways. Bringing major advantages in fuel and cost efficiency along with unmatched passenger comfort, the A350-1000 is the ideal aircraft to showcase Qatar Airways’ legendary customer service. With its greater capacity compared to the A350-900, the newest widebody will play a major role on the carrier’s busiest long-haul routes and will contribute to strengthen their position at the forefront of the aviation industry.”
Rolls-Royce President – Civil Aerospace, Chris Cholerton, who spoke at the event stated “We are very proud to have worked with Qatar Airways and Airbus to deliver engines for this latest version of the A350 XWB family. This delivery marks another significant day in our partnership with the airline and the manufacturer as the new aircraft is powered by the most powerful engine ever developed for an Airbus aircraft, the Trent XWB-97.”