Emirates, one of the world’s leading international airlines, has unveiled its first Airbus A350-900.
The state-of-the-art aircraft was showcased at an exclusive event in Dubai on Wednesday.
The Emirates A350 features three spacious cabin classes, accommodating 312 passengers in 32 next-generation Business Class lie-flat seats, 21 Premium Economy seats and 259 generously pitched Economy Class seats.
The A350’s introduction will enable Emirates to expand into new destinations globally, including mid-sized airports unsuited for larger aircraft.
The Emirates A350 will be delivered in two versions—one for regional routes and one for ultra-long-haul routes.
The airline plans to make its first scheduled commercial A350 flight to Edinburgh on 3 January 2025.
In the months to follow, customers can look forward to experiencing the Emirates A350 in existing GCC points like Bahrain, Muscat and Kuwait, Lyon and Bologna in Europe, and Colombo, Mumbai and Ahmedabad in West Asia, in addition to new travel opportunities that are up to 15 hours from Dubai—to be announced in 2025.
The Emirates A350 is the first new aircraft type to join Emirates’ fleet since 2008.
Apart from its newly delivered A350, Emirates operates two other aircraft types around the world to 140 destinations – the widebody Boeing 777 aircraft and the iconic ‘double decker’ Airbus A380 aircraft.
The Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airlines & Group, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, said: “ This aircraft sets the stage for Emirates to spread its wings farther by offering added range, efficiency and flexibility to our network, enabling us to meet customer demand in new markets and unlock new opportunities in the cities that we serve. Onboard, our updated interiors and seating configurations will help us deliver a more elevated and comfortable experience to travellers across every cabin class. The 65 Emirates A350s joining our fleet in the coming years fit into the airline’s broader plans to support our visionary leadership’s Dubai’s D33 Strategy, which will transform the city into a pivotal hub in the global economy by expanding its connectivity and reach.”
Phillipe Mhun, Executive Vice President Programmes & Services for Airbus, said, “We are proud to further expand our strategic partnership with Emirates, which has flourished nearly 4 decades ago with the A300, the A310, the A330, the A340 and the A380. Marking a new chapter for Airbus, we expect the A350 to become an integral member of the Emirates’ fleet and support its continued growth and sustainability ambitions.”
