Airbus has announced another order for A350 widebodies, this time for Aircalin, a small airline from the French territory of New Caledonia in the South Pacific.
The carrier has closed a deal for two A350-900s, which will be configured with more than 320 seats in three classes.
This will be about 15% more capacity than the two A330-900s currently in service on long-haul flights. According to Aircalin, the aircraft will be used to expand its flight network.
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In addition to the widebodies, Aircalin has two A320neos, but one of them is parked in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
“As a continuation of our long-standing partnership with Airbus, we have selected the A350-900 to join our fleet in the coming years. These aircraft are essential for operating our recently inaugurated Nouméa-Paris via Bangkok route. They will open the doors to very long-haul flights and enable Aircalin to pursue its development strategy,” said Georges Selefen, Aircalin CEO.
“We are pleased with Aircalin’s decision to add the A350 to its fleet. This will allow Aircalin to further develop its potential and open up more long haul routes. The order is yet another endorsement of the A350 as the undisputed long-range leader, bringing fuel efficient service on some of the world’s longest networks, while offering passengers the highest levels of comfort” said Benoit de Saint-Exupery, EVP Sales of the Commercial Aircraft business.
According to Airbus, the A350 family had 1,345 firm orders from 61 customers around the world. The vast majority are of the A350-900 variant, with 988 aircraft, followed by the A350-1000 (302 orders) and the A350F freighter, with 55 aircraft ordered.
Around 47% of the orders have already been delivered, or 628 aircraft.
