Emirates is celebrating the launch of the long-anticipated inaugural flight of its first Airbus A350. Having departed Dubai for Edinburgh just after 3pm on Friday, flight number EK023 is being operated by the first new model of plane to join the airline’s fleet since 2008.
The wide-body Airbus will operate non-stop to the Scottish capital on a journey expected to take a little more than eight hours. With higher ceilings and quieter cabins, the three-class aircraft can accommodate 312 passengers via 32 lie-flat leather seats in business class, 21 premium economy seats and 259 economy seats.
Boasting better fuel efficiency than any of Emirates' existing jets, the A350-900 is set to boost the airline's medium and long-haul operations. “It offers Emirates a capacity and range that allows us to consider new destinations previously not considered viable,” said Tim Clark, the airline's president, at an unveiling of the jet in Dubai last year.
Emirates' A350 jets are being delivered in two batches. “The first batch of A350 aircraft are designed for flight missions of about 12 hours and later on we will receive our ultra-long-range version which will really take Emirates to new corners of the world, non-stop from Dubai to almost anywhere on the planet except Central America,” added Clark.
What can travellers on the A350 expect?
Scheduled to land in Edinburgh just after 7pm, travellers on board the jet should arrive feeling more rested because, according to Airbus, the A350 has the quietest twin-aisle cabin of any aircraft. In-flight entertainment screens also come with a new “eye-comfort” mode designed to reduce blue light exposure.
Travellers will also notice upgraded technology. Connecting to Wi-Fi should be easier after Emirates invested about $2 million per plane to install improved Wireless Access Points. This means more passengers will be able to connect to the network at the same time, with the potential to get up to 10 times the current total aircraft bandwidth.
In-flight entertainment has gone next level with a 4K HDR cinematic display and a much larger media selection. Travellers can also pair two Bluetooth devices, and use wireless charging points in business class.
Business class has a galley area towards the rear of the cabin where snacks and drinks are available on a self-service basis. There are minibars at each seat, plus improved storage, multiple sockets, a wireless charging port and individual airflow nozzles. Seats are in a 1-2-1 configuration, giving every passenger aisle access.
Premium economy comes with improved storage and larger overhead bins, side cocktail tables, calf and footrests and reclining leather seats. It also has a spacious galley area and is laid out in a 2-3-2 formation.
The economy cabin has an airy sky-blue colour scheme and will likely feel slightly more spacious, as the A350 cabin is five inches wider than the Boeing 787.
What’s next for the Airbus A350?
Friday's launch comes after several delays, but Emirates isn't wasting any time adding more A350 flights to its network. The airline announced on Tuesday that the jet will also operate to Kuwait and Bahrain, with flights to both destinations scheduled to start on January 8.
Emirates plans to service nine destinations across the Middle East, Gulf, West Asia and Europe, including flights to Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Colombo, Lyon, Muscat and Bologne. The airline is expecting 64 more A350s to be delivered over the next three and half years, with more destinations to be announced as more aircraft are received.
While the A350 is unlikely to garner the same status as its predecessor, the A380 – the world's largest passenger superjumbo that introduced double-decker flying to the commercial travel industry – it is a significant advancement for air travel.
With an increased range, the A350 can fly some of the longest routes in the world. Singapore Airlines uses the A350-900 on its Singapore-New York service, which spans more than 15,000km and has a flying time of almost 19 hours. Airbus says the ultra-long-range version of its new A350-900 will go even further, with capacity to travel up to 18,000km non-stop.
As one of the most fuel-efficient large wide-body aircraft in the world, the jet, according to Airbus, has a 25 per cent reduction in fuel burn and CO2 emissions per seat, when compared to older aircraft models. The jet can reach a maximum speed of 945 kph, rivalling Boeing's 747 and enabling longer flights in a shorter time.
According to French manufacturer, the Airbus A350 aircraft have ability to operate with up to 50 per cent Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), although a current shortage of the fuel means that this feature is likely to be underutilised. Airbus says it is aiming for its aircraft to have up to 100 per cent SAF capable by 2030.
The A350 has an optimised cabin pressure of 6,000 feet – up to 2,000 feet less than some other aircraft – which can help alleviate fatigue and jet lag.
Which airlines already operate the A350?
The Airbus A350 has been in service for more than 10 years, with the official delivery of the world’s first A350-900 aircraft in France on December 2014. Qatar Airways was the global launch customer and began operating commercial flights from Hamad International Airport in early 2015.
Several other airlines already operate A350 jets, including Etihad Airways, which started flying its new A350-1000 jet in 2022. This version of the A350 is slightly longer than Emirates' new A350-900 jets and has a slightly higher range. But the ultra-long range version of Emirates' A350-900 looks set to surpass the range of the A350-1000.
The national airline of Abu Dhabi took its inaugural commercial A350 flight to Paris and starting on Friday, travellers can fly on Etihad's new A350-1000s to Chicago, Delhi, Zurich, Mumbai, Paris, Tokyo and Toronto.
Other airlines already operating various versions of the A350 include Singapore Airlines, Air France, British Airways, Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines, with several others awaiting delivery of the jet.
