Airbus has secured yet another firm order for its new widebody freighter, the A350F. Silk Way West Airlines acquired two aircraft of the model, which is capable of carrying up to 109 tons of cargo.
The Azerbaijani company currently operates an exclusive fleet of 747 freighters, including 747-400 converted and five 747-8F, which makes the deal painful for Boeing, which offers the 777F and the new 777-8F on the market.
“We are delighted to sign the first but surely not the last agreement with Airbus, which marks the start of what I am sure will be a very fruitful partnership as we strive for future growth,” said Mr. Wolfgang Meier, President of Silk Way West Airlines.
The A350F was launched by Airbus in early 2022 and has already accumulated 31 firm orders from companies such as Air France and CMA CGM.
To design the new freighter, the European manufacturer combined features from the A350-900 and A350-1000 passenger variants. The aircraft is expected to enter service in 2025, three years before new environmental legislation takes effect banning production of current major freighters like the 767F and 777F.
