China Eastern takes delivery of first Airbus A350
China Eastern Airlines has become the latest operator of the Airbus A350, with Airbus holding a delivery ceremony for the airline in Toulouse.
The aircraft, MSN 248, an A350-900 registered B-304D, is the first of 20 on order by the airline and will commence operations on domestic routes for familiarization before being placed on international flights.
Airbus produced the following infographic to highlight the key features of the Airbus A350 in China Eastern’s fleet:
China Eastern is the first airline to opt for a four-class configuration on the Airbus A350-900, with four seats in premium business class (first), 36 in business, 32 in super economy and 216 in standard economy, totaling 288 seats installed.
The latest generation entertainment systems are installed in the cabin, with the premium business section featuring the largest touchscreen the airline has to offer. A bar area is also on board, which, when paired with the ambient lighting, provides for a comfortable and relaxing place for premium passengers to socialize and stand up.
Lets break the cabin up:
Premium Business (First)
- 32 inch HD entertainment displays
- Seat-access minibars
- Storage lockers
- AC and USB power outlets
- Three-point seat belts for additional comfort
- Foldable middle business seats can form a community area that allows four people to gather around
Business Class
- Thomson Vantage XL completely flat seats
- Sliding doors for privacy
- 18 inch HD entertainment displays
- AC and USB power outlets
Super Economy
- Revised Rockwell Collins seats with a new look – leather seat covers
- 13 inch HD entertainment displays
- Slightly larger tray table
- AC and USB power outlets
Economy
- 12 inch HD entertainment displays
- USB power outlets
Across all cabins, the latest generation Wi-Fi is available, capable of reaching speeds of 200Mbps. Powering the entertainment system is the Panasonic EX3/GCS, which adds additional variety and greater speeds compared to other systems in their fleet.
Photos of the cabin will come shortly!
356 Airbus aircraft are present in China Eastern’s fleet, including 50 in the A330 Family and 306 in the A320 Family, making the airline the largest Airbus operator in Asia and the second largest in the world. The A350 is a welcome addition to the fleet and Airbus and China Eastern are confident it will serve well.
To watch the aircraft being built and delivered, here are two videos Airbus produced:
Recently, China Eastern introduced the first of 15 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners into their fleet. These aircraft will work with the Airbus A350-900 to provide a comfortable experience to passengers as well as reduce operating costs and emissions.
The updated narrow body fleet will see the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX 8 serve new routes and replace older generation aircraft. China Eastern is also the launch customer for the Comac C919 which is currently undergoing testing.