The first Airbus A350 XWB aircraft to Air china and Sichuan Airlines

On August 8, Airbus announced the delivery of the first A350-900 aircraft to Air china and Sichuan Airlines. Both Chinese companies dispute their position as the first operator of this aircraft. Airbus managed to reconcile them.

Air China is the first airline to own Airbus A350XWB, while Sichuan Airlines is the first Chinese carrier to have this type of aircraft under operational leasing. In other words, Air China bought it, Sichuan Airlines rented it from AerCap.

Airbus A350 XWB to Air china and Sichuan Airlines

Airbus A350 XWB Air China is powered by the classic Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines. The aircraft is configured in 3 classes and can accommodate up to 312 passengers: 32 at Business Class, 24 at Premium Economy and 256 at Economy Class.

Airbus A350 XWB Sichuan Airlines has the propulsion provided by the same type of engine - Rolls-Royce Trent XWB, but has 2 classes and can carry up to 331 passengers: 28 in Business Class and 303 in Economy Class.

Both airlines have imported fleets consisting of Airbus aircraft. Air China holds 201 Airbus aircraft in the fleet: 142 A320 family aircraft and 59 A330 family aircraft. While Sichuan Airlines owns 135 of Airbus aircraft: 123 aircraft of the A320 family and 12 aircraft of the A330 family.

We have written about Airbus A350 XWB, so we do not resume the benefits. We only mention that Airbus registered, by the end of July, orders for 890 of A350 XWB aircraft from 46 from customers around the world.

Read about our short experience aboard an Airbus A350 XWB Lufthansa, on a flight from Munich to Budapest.