Airbus has delivered the world’s first A350-1000 to launch customer Qatar Airways, which has ordered 37 aircraft.
Airbus handed over the world’s first A350-1000 to launch customer Qatar Airways at a delivery event in Toulouse, France on 20th February. The aircraft is the first of 37 A350-1000s ordered by the carrier and is the first Airbus aircraft fitted with the innovative Qsuite seats, offering the first-ever double bed in Business class.
Qatar Airways is the world’s largest A350 XWB family customer, with 76 aircraft on order, and the largest A350-1000 customer.
The A350-1000 will complement Qatar Airways’ existing fleet of 20 A350-900s, with which it shares a high degree of commonality. Airbus says that passengers will enjoy more personal space, optimised cabin altitude, more fresh air, controlled temperature & humidity, integrated connectivity and the latest generation of in-flight entertainment system.
The A350-1000 is Airbus’ largest widebody twin, offering a range of 8,000nm (14,800 km) at entry into service. With a 7m-longer fuselage, the A350-1000 space for premium cabin products is 40% larger than its smaller sibling, the A350-900. In Qatar Airways configuration the A350-1000 offers 44 additional seats.
The A350-1000, which received EASA and FAA certification in November, features a modified wing trailing-edge, new six-wheel main landing gears and more powerful Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines.