Another day, another new customer takes delivery of their plane – with Japan Airlines formally taking delivery of their first Airbus A350.
Japan Airlines Airbus A350-900 – Image, Airbus.
For Japan Airlines, this will be the first time they have operated Airbus aircraft since the A300 family (which were inherited from a takeover of Japan Air System).
The delivery today is the first out of 31 aircraft which the airline will be taking – split between 18 A350-900s and 13 A350-1000.
The airline is planning to deploy the A350-900 on domestic routes, with long haul routes targeted for the A350-1000.
In terms of passenger comfort, the plane will be configured with
- 12 seats in First Class 2-2-2
- 94 in Class J in 2-4-2
- 263 in Comfort Economy in 3-3-3
Seats will be configured with Wi-Fi and inflight power for those who require it. IFE screens will be installed too.
A seating layout has been disclosed by JAL for those who are planning to take a flight aboard the latest addition to the A350 operator list.
Japan Airlines A350-900 layout – Image, JAL.
The airline has not disclosed what products in terms of seats are being installed at the time of handover from Airbus to Japan Airlines.
As usual, the plane is configured with Rolls Royce Trent XWB engines, sharklets and of course the Airspace by Airbus cabin to give a comfortable flying experience.
Entry into service – September
Japan Airlines Airbus A350 – Image, Airbus
With a new plane entering service, there is – of course – a need to learn and increase crew familiarity. The type will be entering service on domestic routes from September.
For Airbus, it’s an important step into breaking into the “all-Boeing” Japan Airlines fleet, and a chance to demonstrate the flexibility of its widebody aircraft.
And maybe gain more orders along the line in the longer term.
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