Nearly 37,400 new aircraft valued at US$5.8 trillion required over 20 years claims Airbus

Airbus thinks the world’s passenger fleet will more than double to 48,000 aircraft in 20 years with traffic growing at a rate of 4.4% per year, which the European plane maker says will mean airlines will need another 37,390 new passenger and freighter aircraft.

The Airbus Global Market Forecast 2018-2037 predicts emerging countries will account for over 60% of economic growth, with trips per capita to multiply 2.5 times for these nations. Combined with evolving airline business models and continuing liberalisation in the airline sector will lead to an increased resilience to regional slowdowns.

Cathay Pacific becomes second operator of the A350-1000 widebody

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.

Increased capacity and highest levels

of comfort for the airline’s longest flights

Qatar Airways Welcomes the first A350-1000

Much of the World's aviation correspondents descended upon Toulouse, France today for the handover of the first super advanced Airbus A350-1000 to launch customer - Qatar Airways. The excitement had been building for quite some time and was literally palpable in the last half an hour before the celebrations and press conference began.  The aircraft is the first of 37 A350-1000s ordered by Qatar and is the first ever Airbus aircraft fitted with the revolutionary new Qsuite seats, which offer unrivalled levels of comfort and space including the first ever double bed in Business class.  Qatar Airways is the world’s largest A350 XWB family customer with a current total of some 76 aircraft on order and is also the largest A350-1000 customer to date. The growing airline was the launch customer for the 900 model and has indicated that it may upgrade some outstanding A350 orders to the new 1000 version in the future. The carrier says they expect to receive six 1000's this year. “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, His Excellency 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”.

Philippine Airlines view the A350-1000

The national airline of The Philippines is looking to add the largest version of the Airbus A350 family to its fleet the carrier’s president said on Thursday.
Philippine Airlines is currently undergoing a massive $2 billion that's approximately £1.4 billion expansion and fleet renewal programme to give it one of the youngest fleets in Asia.
“It is one airplane we can consider. It is a bigger version of the A350-900,” Jaime Bautista, president of the airline’s operator, PAL Holdings Inc, told reporters before an A350-1000 test flight in the capital Manila.

Airbus A350-1000 on tour

The A350-1000, the newest member of Airbus’ leading widebody family, has embarked on a three-week demonstration tour to the Middle East and Asia-Pacific region and already this impressive aircraft is turning heads and melting hearts wherever she goes!

In Doha many people visited the aircraft which also did a low-level flypast to the delight of many.  

The demonstration tour follows the completion of a successful flight test campaign, which lasted less than one year and culminated in joint EASA and FAA type certifications, demonstrating the aircraft’s excellent design, performance and maturity. The A350-1000 tour comes ahead of the first customer delivery to Qatar Airways in the coming weeks.

During the tour, the A350-1000 flight test aircraft (MSN065) will visit 12 destinations to demonstrate the aircraft’s exclusive features to airlines. The itinerary will see it travel over 30,000 nautical miles / 55,500 kilometres, with stops in Doha, Muscat, Hong Kong, Seoul, Taipei, Hanoi, Singapore, Bangkok, Sydney, Auckland, Tokyo and Manila.

The aircraft will stop for several days in Singapore, where it will be on static display from 6 to 8 February at the Singapore Airshow 2018.

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