Airbus focused in particular on the cabin-interior to comply with A350 ramp-up.

Airbus programs chief Didier Evrard said the company was “focused on deliveries”.

Source: Aleksi Hamalainen

But he is confident that it will reach an output target of 15 A350-900s for 2015.

Evrard said the airframer is prioritizing the ramp-up of production, and intends to “more than double” the A350 output next year, as it bids to reach a monthly rate of 10 in 2018.

 

Source: Manuel Belleli

 

“This is something that is very important for us, and we are working very hard to reach these targets”, he said.

Cabin interiors will be a key focus for the airframer next year, said Wilhelm Airbus CFO, noting that a “favourite” supplier to Airbus had publicly disclosed problems meeting demand to some customers.

Although Wilhelm did not identify the company, seat manufacturer Zodiac has admitted “serious production difficulties” in recent weeks that have resulted in late deliveries.

“We need to be focused in particular on the interior, and make sure that stuff comes to the final assembly line (FAL) in time, at the quality foreseen” he said.

 

 

“This is one of the challenges we have to master for 2016”.

However, JP Morgan broker stays negative on Rolls-Royce ahead of announcements and is taking into account a slower-than-expected ramp up in production of the A350, for which Rolls-Royce is providing engines.

 

Based on the article “It can meet A350 delivery forecast”

Cathay long-haul fleet will be a combination of 777-300ER, 777-9X, A350-900 and A350-1000.

Cathay Pacific said all of its incoming widebody jets will be directed at growth, and that the group will expand to a fleet of over 230 passenger aircraft by 2025.

COO Rupert Hogg detailed that Cathay will add 22 Airbus A350-900s to its fleet over the next 2 years, followed by 26 A350-1000s from 2018 through to 2020.

From 2021, it will also take the first of 21 Boeing 777-9Xs on order.

Source: Airbus

The mainline carrier now has a fleet of 124 passenger aircraft, comprised largely of Airbus A330s and Boeing 777-300ERs.

Under Cathay’s strategy, the A350-900s will primarily be targeted at helping the airline open new points in Europe, and to add a 2nd or 3rd frequency to existing destinations such as Milan and Amsterdam, said Hogg.

The A350-1000s will meanwhile allow the Hong Kong flag carrier to fly additional frequencies “more cost effectively” to points in North America, and for upgauging on services where traffic rights or airport capacity are constrained.

“We see a combination of A350-900s, A350-1000s and existing 777s in Europe, North America and increasingly in Australia,” he said.

In the longer term, when the 777Xs arrive, the aircraft will mainly be put on routes to North America and Europe, particularly those with high volumes of both passengers and cargo.

The A350-900 should eventually replace Cathay’s small fleet of 777-200s and also older A330-300s, while the A350-1000s will likely replace both the A340s and 777-300s.

Based on the article “Cathay details expansion with incoming A350s, 777Xs” published in FlightGlobal.

Singapore A350 ULR with maximum comfort and new business class.

Singapore Airlines' new long-range Airbus A350 ULR will be fitted with a new generation of business class and possibly first class.

Source: Alexander Hassenstein

Due to take wing in 2018 with non-stop flights from Singapore to Los Angeles and New York, the long-legged variant of the A359-900 – dubbed the A350-900ULR – will carry around 170 seats compared to just over 250 passengers in the standard A350-900.

Source: Felix Gottwald

The tip-to-tail mix of travel classes is expected to skew towards premium cabins such as business and first class so that passengers can enjoy maximum comfort on the long (19h.) non-stop flights.

Source: Felix Gottwald

Singapore Airlines revealed "the A350-900ULR aircraft will be fitted with all-new cabin products that are currently under development, and are scheduled to be delivered in 2018."

Source: Airbus

For Australian Business Traveller, this news increases the odds that Singapore Airlines' A350ULR will sport a small first-class cabin for added long-haul luxe, with the bulk of the jetliner given over to business class and possibly a compact premium economy cabin.

Based on the article “Singapore Airlines: 'all-new' business class on long-range A350” published in Australian Business Traveller.

TAM will receive the 1st A350 later this month.

TAM Airlines’ 1st A350 has successfully taken off from Toulouse Airport  on 1^st of December 2015 ahead of its delivery to the airline later this month.

Source: Airbus

The aircraft now progresses to the final production phase which includes further ground checks and flight tests until the end of the month.

Source: A380_TLS_A350

TAM will become the 1st airline from the Americas to fly the A350 XWB and the 4th operator in the world after Qatar Airways, Vietnam Airlines and Finnair.

Source: Jujug Spotting

LATAM Airlines Group, made up of LAN Airlines and TAM Airlines, has ordered 27 A350 XWB aircraft.

Source: Clement Alloing

6 of these were converted earlier this year to the larger A350-1000.

Source: Clement Alloing

The carrier will start operating the A350 in January/2016 between Sao Paulo and Manaus.

Source: A380_TLS_A350

This will be followed by international operations from Sao Paulo to Miami, to Madrid and to Orlando.

Based on the press release “First A350 XWB for TAM Airlines makes its maiden flight”

1st A350 delivery for China Airlines scheduled for July/2016.

Taipei-based China Airlines expects to take delivery of its 1st of 14 Airbus A350-900s in July 2016, a spokesperson confirmed to ATW in Taipei.

The Taiwanese carrier will begin to replace its Airbus A340-300s with the A350-900 in 3Q/2016.

“The A350 will be operated mostly on routes to Europe,” the spokesperson added.

China Airlines chairman and CEO Hang Hung Sun said 5 months ago the carrier would take delivery of “4 A350s in 2016, 6 in 2017 and 4 more in 2018” when “9 of our 13 747-400s will be removed from the fleet.”

Based on the article “China Airlines to take first Airbus A350-900 in July 2016” published in ATW.

4th A350 for Vietnam Airlines delivered.

MSN17 has been delivered to Vietnam Airlines today, which makes the 12^th A350 delivered to 3 customers.

Source: A380_TLS_A350

With register number VN-A889 (test registration F-WZFL) she was airborne last 30/October.

During this period of time of 1 month, 2 flight test and the Customer Acceptance flight (on 16/Nov) were performed before today´s delivery flight to Vietnam Airlines hub at Hanoi.

Source: A380_TLS_A350

This A350 will probably join Hanoi-Paris (CDG) route that was opened on 30/Sep.

The previous A350 (MSN16) was delivered to Vietnam Airlines on 20/Oct.

Source: Clement Alloing

The end-of the year target to deliver 15 A350s in 2015 is still challenging.

Probably deliveries until end of the year will be:

• MSN19 Finnair

• MSN20 Finnair

• MSN24 TAM

• MSN22 Finnair

And in January/2016 the first deliveries of the year will be MSN23 Finnair and MSN12 Qatar.

And the 1st 10-abreast A350 goes to … Air Caraïbes.

Airbus confirmed at the Dubai Air Show that it has a customer for the “Budget Economy” product on its A350XWB aircraft.

Source: Airbus

 

That means 10-across seating will be flying on the A350 a couple years hence.

 

Mark Pearman-Wright, Head of Corporate & Investor Marketing Customer Affairs, confirmed in an interview at the show that a European leisure-market carrier has ordered the dense layout for its pending orders.

 

Based on a review of the open order book this almost certainly indicates that Air Caraïbes will be that customer.

 

Air Caraïbes has 6 A350s on order with deliveries initially expected for 2016 but more likely 2017.

 

The French airline currently flies A330s in a 9-abreast layout; going 10-across on the A350 is not too surprising in that context.

 

The confirmation means that the A350 will see a budget economy layout before the A380 will, despite much noise around the potential for 11-abreast on the larger aircraft.

 

Based on the article “Air Caraibes to be First 10-abreast A350 Customer” published in Wandering Aramean Blog.