Tag Archives: A350

Etihad Airways touched down in Atlanta for the first time, expanding its U.S. footprint and connecting the cultural and commercial heart of the U.S. Southeast with Abu Dhabi and beyond. The launch marks another milestone in Etihad’s North American expansion. Etihad’s first flight from Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport to Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport made Atlanta the fifth U.S. gateway in Etihad’s global network, joining New York City, Chicago, Washington D.C., and Boston. Guests travelling from Abu Dhabi benefit from the convenience of the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Preclearance facility at Zayed International Airport – the only one of its kind in the region. This allows passengers to clear U.S. immigration and customs before departure, arriving in the United States as domestic travellers and saving valuable time on arrival. The newly launched route meets the growing appetite for travel between the UAE and the US, catering to business travellers, vacationers, and those visiting friends and family. It also makes it easier for guests from across the southeastern U.S. to visit Abu Dhabi and experience a city where modernity meets rich heritage, offering a vibrant mix of culture, adventure, relaxation and stunning beaches. The new service is operated using Etihad’s next-generation Airbus A350-1000, a fuel-efficient, environmentally advanced aircraft offering a quieter ride, and the airline’s latest onboard product on key long-haul routes. The Atlanta route launched with four flights per week, but record-high load factors and remarkable early bookings have prompted Etihad to fast-track expansion, with daily flights set to commence from November 2025. Demand from both leisure and corporate segments has exceeded expectations, firmly validating Atlanta’s position as a key market for Etihad. Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive …

Emirates’ highly anticipated Airbus A350 is now a regular sight at Muscat International Airport, with the start of regular daily services between Dubai and Muscat. The aircraft operates flight EK 866, which departs Dubai at 2:15 am and arrives in Muscat at 3:30 am. The return leg, EK 867 departs Muscat at 4:40 am and lands in Dubai at 5:55 am, perfectly timed to help customers connect for their flights to destinations in Europe, Americas, Africa and Asia. * The three-class aircraft offers 312 seats with 32 lie-flat seats in Business Class arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration, 21 Premium Economy seats in a comfortable 2-3-2 setup, and 259 spacious Economy Class seats in a 3-3-3 layout. Designed to offer customers an enhanced travel experience, all cabins feature higher ceilings and wider aisles. Customers across all classes enjoy the airline’s award-winning and latest in-flight entertainment system, offering a cinematic viewing experience, upgraded cabin lighting, faster connectivity with high-speed Wi-Fi, and improved seat ergonomics for greater comfort on short and medium-haul journeys. The introduction of the Airbus A350 to Muscat highlights Emirates’ ongoing commitment to Oman. Muscat is among the first few cities in the region to receive Emirates’ next-generation A350, joining a growing network that includes destinations like Kuwait, Bahrain, Dammam and Amman as well as other points like Edinburgh, Mumbai, Tunis, Colombo and Ahmedabad. The airline has so far welcomed seven A350s to its fleet and is expected to serve 17 destinations across its global network by the end of this year. To meet the current summer travel demand, Emirates has also layered on two additional weekly flights between Dubai and Muscat, operating flights on Thursdays and Saturdays. Flight EK 862 …

The Emirates A350 has touched down at Queen Alia International Airport, marking the start of its regular service on the second daily flight between Dubai and Amman. Originally scheduled to operate on 1 June, the deployment of the brand-new aircraft has been advanced by 2 weeks. The three-class Emirates A350 features 312 seats, including 32 next-generation Business Class lie-flat seats in a 1-2-1 layout, 21 Premium Economy seats in a 2-3-2 configuration, and 259 spacious Economy Class seats in a 3-3-3 layout. Designed for comfort, the aircraft offers higher ceilings, wider aisles, and a quieter cabin environment. Passengers across all classes enjoy Emirates’ latest generation of in-flight entertainment with a cinematic viewing experience, enhanced cabin lighting, faster Wi-Fi, and improved seat ergonomics. The A350’s arrival in Amman marks a significant milestone in Emirates’ longstanding commitment to Jordan dating back to 1986. It also reflects the airline’s ongoing investment in the Jordanian market, strengthening connectivity, tourism, and trade links between Dubai, Amman and beyond. In addition to the A350, Emirates also operates the iconic A380 to Amman on EK903/904. The Emirates A350 currently serves six other short and medium haul destinations including Edinburgh, Kuwait, and Mumbai, and will soon start serving more destinations like Oslo, Istanbul, and Ho Chi Minh City, to name a few. By the end of this year, the airline will serve 17 global cities with the A350. For more information or to book tickets, visit emirates.com. Tickets can also be booked on Emirates App, Emirates Retail stores, Emirates contact centre, or via travel agents. EK 905 departed Dubai at 2210 hrs on 19 May and landed in Amman at 0015 hrs early morning on 20th May. EK 906, took …

Qatar Airways will be launching three additional flights to Manchester, UK, from 4 June 2025, to support increasing demand for the airline ahead of the summer season. The route will be served by carrier’s state-of-the-art fleet of Airbus A350-1000s and Boeing 787-9s. The Best Airline in the World, as voted by Skytrax in 2024, began its operations in the northern England city in 2003. Manchester remains an integral city in Qatar Airways’ network of more than 170 destinations, served via the World’s Best Airport and Airport Shopping, Hamad International Airport, as voted by Skytrax. Qatar Airways Chief Commercial Officer, Mr. Thierry Antinori, said: “Qatar Airways’ increase in flights to Manchester comes as part of enhancing connectivity from all over the world to the “Capital of the North”. Global passengers will soon have greater choice and comfort when traveling to Manchester with Qatar Airways through our award-winning hub, Hamad International Airport (DOH) – voted World’s Best Airport and World’s Best Airport Shopping by Skytrax in 2024. “With these incremental flights to Manchester, we are also proud to facilitate connectivity and capacity between UK and Australia – two significant markets for global travel.” Manchester, a city studded with red-brick Victorian architecture, is not only home to the world-famous football teams, but is also the backdrop of historic industrial movements, genre-defining musical bands, and inspiring art scenes. Qatar Airways flights to Manchester (MAN) The flights will depart every Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday: • Doha (DOH) to Manchester (MAN) – Flight QR25: Departure 02:40; Arrival 08:00 • Manchester (MAN) to Doha (DOH) – Flight QR26: Departure 09:30; Arrival 18:20 Qatar Airways, a benchmark for excellence in the industry, remains a prominent leader in global connectivity. …

Emirates revealed the next seven cities to be served by its A350. The airline’s summer schedule will include A350 services to Tunis, Amman, Istanbul, Dammam, Ho Chi Minh City, Baghdad and Oslo as the new seven cities. With the latest tranche of planned Emirates A350 deployments, the airline is expanding the list of its short to medium haul destinations served in the Middle East/GCC and Europe. For the first time, the Emirates A350 will make its debut in Africa and Southeast Asia. Adnan Kazim, Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, Emirates Airline said: “Our strategic A350 expansion across diverse geographies in the Middle East/GCC, Europe, Africa and Southeast Asia leverages the aircraft’s operational flexibility and efficiency, while offering more customers expanded premium travel options and the opportunity to experience our latest generation interiors like Business Class and Premium Economy along with plenty of thoughtful touches throughout every cabin, now available in more cities than ever before.” He added: “The introduction of this aircraft and layering it on existing route schedules also enables Emirates to maintain a compelling competitive position as the airline of choice for discerning travellers looking for a unique slate of connectivity options and elevated onboard experiences they can’t have with any other carrier.” The airline’s latest A350 fleet additions will start scheduled operations to the following destinations: Emirates will operate the A350 six times weekly (all days except for Tuesday) to Tunis on EK 747/748 from 1 June.* Amman’s EK 905/906 will be served daily by the Emirates A350 from 1 June.* Emirates’ A350 featuring the latest cabins will land in Istanbul for the first time to commence daily operations on EK 117/118 from 1 July.* The …

Emirates is bringing forward the deployment of its Airbus A350 to Kuwait and Bahrain. Services will start 8 January, making them the second and third destinations to be served by the airline’s newest aircraft. Emirates will operate its Airbus A350 on the following services to Kuwait and Bahrain. Kuwait: The Emirates A350 will operate on EK853 and EK854. EK 853 departs Dubai at 0125hrs, arriving in Kuwait at 0215hrs. The return flight, EK 854 leaves Kuwait at 0340hrs, arriving in Dubai at 0625hrs. Bahrain: The Emirates A350 will operate on two of the three daily flights to the Kingdom – EK837/838, and EK839/840. EK 837 departs Dubai at 0820hrs, arriving in Bahrain at 0840hrs. The return flight, EK 838, departs Bahrain at 1000hrs, arriving back to Dubai at 1215hrs. The second flight operated by the Airbus A350, EK 839, takes off at 1600hrs, arriving in Bahrain at 1620hrs. EK 840 leaves Bahrain at 1745hrs, arriving back to Dubai at 2000hrs. The three-class aircraft features 312 seats, with 32 next-generation Business Class lie-flat seats in a 1-2-1 layout, 21 Premium Economy seats in a 2-3-2 configuration, and 259 generously pitched Economy Class seats in a 3-3-3 arrangement, offering more space and comfort in every cabin. The Emirates A350 operating to both cities boasts a suite of next-generation features in every cabin class, including high ceilings and wider aisles, new technology touches, faster Wi-Fi, and the latest version of the ice inflight entertainment system featuring a cinematic experience for customers to enjoy the airline’s vast media and channel selection of on-demand entertainment. Emirates has been serving Kuwait since 1989, and today operates 29 weekly flights. Emirates’ A350 to Kuwait is the second aircraft …

Emirates officially unveiled the very first Airbus A350-900 to join its fleet at an exclusive event showcase in Dubai. The event, led by Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline in the presence of His Excellency Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy,  was attended by VIP guests, aerospace partners, government officials and dignitaries, members of the media, as well as aviation enthusiasts. Guests were able to experience the aircraft’s interiors, equipped with its next generation products and latest technologies.  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 latest onboard products reflect the airline’s commitment to delivering a premium passenger experience while optimising operational efficiency. The Emirates A350 is the first new aircraft type to join Emirates’ fleet since 2008. His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline & Group said: “Today is an exciting milestone for Emirates as we showcase our first A350 and usher in a new era for our fleet and network growth. 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 …

The International Air Transport Association (IATA), Emirates, and Airbus have joined forces to deliver a Competency-Based Training and Assessment (CBTA) program for the Airbus A350 type rating, as Emirates prepares for the delivery of its fleet of 65 A350s from mid-2024. An initial cohort of 256 pilots will be trained as part of the new course at Emirates’ Training college in Dubai starting from July 2024. The joint work combines the respective expertise of the three organizations. IATA will focus on program design using its published guidance for CBTA. Airbus will contribute knowledge of the aircraft along with its own CBTA experience. Emirates will use its CBTA training and operational experience. This collaboration will create and deliver the first A350 type rating training in full alignment with the latest International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards for CBTA training and with the best practices contained in the IATA CBTA Guide for Flight Crew Training. “Combining the expertise of Emirates, Airbus and IATA to design and deliver A350 type rating training is a unique opportunity. Our joint aim is to fully utilize the benefits of CBTA to qualify the pilots on the A350 in the most efficient and effective way possible. And by doing it together all three organizations will also gain valuable experience that can strengthen their other training activities,” said Nick Careen, IATA’s SVP for Operations, Safety and Security. “Emirates uses cutting-edge training programs so our pilots are among the most competent flight crew in the world. The tailored CBTA program for the A350 supports the integration of 65 new A350 aircraft, with 1,000 pilots set to complete the A350 Type Rating course. This commitment enhances passenger safety and comfort, …

Air India announced that it will deploy its brand-new A350 aircraft on the busy Delhi-Dubai route this summer, marking the aircraft’s debut on short-haul international flights. Starting 1 May 2024, Air India guests flying between Delhi and Dubai can experience the A350 in its bold new livery. Operating as AI995/996, the aircraft is scheduled to depart Delhi daily at 20:45hrs, arriving at 22:45hrs in Dubai. The return flight departs Dubai next day at 00:15hrs and arrives in Delhi at 04:55hrs. All timings local. With this, Air India becomes the only carrier to operate the A350 between India and Dubai. The A350 seats on the Delhi-Dubai route are available for reservation on Air India’s website and mobile app or via travel agents. Air India’s A350 aircraft feature 28 private suites with full-flat beds in Business, 24 seats in a dedicated Premium Economy cabin offering extra legroom and other enhancements, and 264 spacious seats in Economy. All seats on the A350 come with the latest-generation Panasonic eX3 in-flight entertainment system and HD screens that offer more than 2,200 hours of entertainment content from around the world. Air India started inducting the A350s earlier this year, which have since operated flights within India for crew familiarisation and regulatory compliance purposes. Air India currently operates a total of 72 flights a week to Dubai from five Indian cities, of which 32 flights are from Delhi. SCHEDULE OF AIR INDIA’S A350 FLIGHTS BETWEEN DELHI AND DUBAI Effective 01 May 2024 Flight No. Days of Operation Sector Departure Arrival AI995 Daily Delhi-Dubai 2045 Hrs 2245 Hrs AI996 Daily Dubai-Delhi 0015 Hrs 0455 Hrs  

Etihad Airways achieved another key milestone in pilot training and flight operations. After successfully obtaining rigorous regulatory approvals and completing thorough pilot training, Etihad has achieved the qualification for its pilots to seamlessly operate both Airbus A350 and A380 aircraft interchangeably. This milestone positions Etihad as one of the pioneering airlines globally to attain such versatility in its pilot capabilities. Airline pilots are typically restricted to flying only one aircraft type. However, under certain conditions such as high similarity of flight deck, pilot procedures, and the implementation of special training, pilots may be enabled to operate two similar aircraft types through a dedicated programme approved by the aircraft manufacturer and the Civil Aviation Authority, known as ‘Mixed Fleet Flying’ or ‘MFF’. Mohammad Al Bulooki, Chief Operating Officer at Etihad Airways said: “Etihad Airways is proud to be the one of the very first airlines to qualify its pilots to fly both the Airbus A350 and A380. “This achievement will enhance the resilience and flexibility of the airline’s network and is testament to our commitment to continuously push the boundaries of efficiency, innovation, and customer satisfaction, and at all times ensuring safety is Etihad’s number one priority.” Over the past decade, Etihad has obtained similar approvals to qualify its Airbus pilots to interchangeably fly the A320 and A330 types, A330 and A340 types, and its Boeing pilots to fly the 777 and 787 types, setting new standards for fleet commonality. Building on this legacy, the latest approval to fly both the Airbus A350 and A380 will further enhance the efficiency and flexibility of Etihad’s widebody network.