SIA Takes Delivery of Its First Airbus A350-900

Singapore Airlines has taken delivery of its first Airbus A350-900, becoming the fifth operator of an A350 XWB widebody airliner.

Star Alliance member carrier Singapore Airlines having ordered 67 A350-900s, the type will form the backbone of its future mid-size widebody fleet.

On February 2, 2016, Singapore Airlines’ first Airbus A350-900 performed its maiden flight. By 2016, SIA had ordered 67 A350-900s, seven of which were of a ‘ULR’ ultra-long range version

After an initial period flying the aircraft on regional services to Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta, SIA will deploy its first A350-900 and other early-delivery A350-900s on long-haul services from May 9.

SIA’s first long-haul A350-900 service will be on the Singapore-Amsterdam route, and next the carrier will begin operating A350-900s on its Singapore-Düsseldorf service.

The carrier plans to announce additional A350-900 destinations throughout the course of this year.

SIA’s first Airbus A350-900 is shown here about to touch down at Toulouse Blagnac Airport after performing its first flight. The aircraft’s maiden flight took place on February 2, 2016

Each of the aircraft in Singapore Airlines’ initial batch of A350-900s will be fitted with 253 seats in three classes: 42 in Business Class, 24 in Premium Economy Class and 187 in Economy Class.

SIA plans to announce at a later date the cabin-configuration details of A350-900s that it will operate on medium-range routes, as well as the seven A350-900ULRs that SIA will use for ultra-long-range flights.

“The A350 will be a game-changer for us, allowing for flights to more long-haul destinations on a non-stop basis, which will help us boost our network competitiveness and further develop the important Singapore hub,” Singapore Airlines CEO Goh Choon Phong said at the delivery ceremony for SIA’s first A350-900.

Four ‘Singapore Girl’ SIA flight attendants posed for the camera at the Airbus Delivery Center at Toulouse Blagnac Airport on March 2, 2016, as Singapore Airlines took delivery of the first of 67 Airbus A350-900s it ordered

Airbus held the delivery ceremony at its delivery center at Toulouse Blagnac Airport.

SIA’s first A350-900 will join an existing Airbus fleet at Singapore Airlines that comprises 19 A380s and 29 A330-300s.

This fleet makes the carrier an operator of all the current-production Airbus widebody aircraft types.