Qatar Airways to operate world's first A350 XWB

Qatar Airways has taken delivery of the world’s first Airbus A350 XWB. 

In a press conference on Wednesday to celebrate the delivery of the plane held at Al-Braimim Building in Doha International Airport, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive  Akbar Al Baker said: “A350 XWB have a modern design that is spacious and with state-of-the-art technology. We are proud to have Qatar Airways as the first and only airlines to operate an A350 XWB plane. As always, we thrive to offer the best services to our customers,” he said. Moreover, he said  “the A350 XWB, in combination with the recently-introduced A380, will offer unprecedented levels of interoperability and a highly efficient solution to meet long-haul passenger demand on the rapidly expanding Qatar Airways’ network. This will further strengthen our leadership position as a world-class airline providing customers with a premium five-star travel experience, exceptional hospitality and seamless connectivity around the globe.”

The aircraft will enter the service this month on the Doha-Frankfurt route, with the first commercial flight slated on January 15. 

The airplane has two classes: business and economy classes. The business class has 36 seats, which is configured 1-2-1. As well as an 80-inch full flat bed, Business Class passengers will have a personal 17-inch high definition in-flight entertainment screen and access to a spacious in-flight bar.

Economy Class  features 247 18-inch wide seats configured 3-3-3, each passenger will have a 10.6-inch screen and access to more than 1,000 entertainment options on Qatar Airways’ Oryx entertainment system. The aircraft also features advanced air conditioning and LED mood lighting to help improve cabin ambience and combat the effects of jetlag. Passengers will also be able to access onboard Wi-Fi.

Qatar Airways bought several Airbus airplanes including A320 and A330 cargo aircraft, A321, A319LR, and A340.