Airlines British Airways takes delivery of first Airbus A350-1000

A bit later than planned, British Airways has taken delivery of its first Airbus A350-1000. The aircraft is going to be used for long-haul flights from London to the world. G-XWBA is the first of 18 A350 aircraft that the flag-carrier airline will receive over the coming years.

Starting in August this year, British Airways will send its new aircraft on flights between London and Madrid in order to familiarize and train the crew on the new aircraft. After that, the A350-1000 will be deployed on flights from London to Dubai and Toronto. October will see the state-of-the-aircraft being used on routes to Tel Aviv and Bangalore.

The remaining 17 A350s will be delivered by Airbus over the next three years. Until 2022, British Airways will have all ordered aircraft in its fleet. The A350-1000 comes over the course of a fleet renewing strategy, which saw the Boeing 767 being thrown out of the fleet this year. Moreover, with the arrival of more A350s, aging Boeing 747s and 777s will be removed.

British Airways has configured the A350 in a three-class variant. 56 seats are available in the new Club Suite (First Class), 57 in World Traveller Plus (Business Class) and 219 in World Traveller (Economy Class).

For the delivery, British Airways has completely reworked the Club World cabin. It features the Club Suite which sees the cabin to become more comfortable. Every seat has direct aisle access and a door for enhanced privacy. Lager 79” fully flat beds and other storage space belong to the experience, too.

Regarding the new Club Suite, British Airways wrote: "A tailored experience with new tech. Club Suite uses technology to make your experience even more comfortable; with digital seat functions, high speed Wi-Fi, personal charging points, and as a minimum, 17” high resolution screens with the latest films and music."

Speaking about the new A350, the airline added: "The A350 has a revolutionary adaptive wing design - inspired by birds – which morphs while airborne to achieve maximum aerodynamic efficiency. At over 240 feet long, the A350-1000 is nearly the length of a football field. Cabin air in the A350 is renewed every two to three minutes to minimise the effects of jet lag, meaning you arrive at your destination feeling more refreshed than ever."

British Airways is the flag-carrier airline of the United Kingdom and operates with a fleet of 277 aircraft. The airline is part of the International Airlines Group (IAG) and was founded in 1924.