Air China has signed an agreement with Airbus to purchase an additional 20 A350-900s, in a deal worth $6.54 billion at list prices.
Spicing up the deal is the option to convert the last five on order to the larger A350-1000. It’s worth noting Air China reportedly received an adjusted price for this order, which is generally the case for returning customers.
Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2020 and run through to 2022, joining their current fleet of 10 A350-900s.
It’s unknown at this time if this agreement is the works of a previously unidentified order in Airbus’ order book or if it’s completely new.
All Airbus A350 variants are powered by the Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engine which, at this time, is the world’s most efficient commercial turbofan engine.
To watch their first aircraft come together, here’s the video from the 2018 delivery ceremony:
Cabin Layout
Air China has their A350-900s configured in a three class layout with 312 seats.
| Class | Seat Count |
| Business | 32 |
| Premium Economy | 24 |
| Economy | 256 |
The 32 reverse herringbone business class seats offer a full flat bed experience with the latest HD entertainment systems.
Built by B/E Aerospace, the Super Diamond model seats can also be found on Virgin Australia, Qatar Airways and American Airlines aircraft.
Opting not to go with the central overhead bins, the cabin is extremely airy and spacious.
Premium Economy features seats with a 38 inch pitch in a 2-4-2 arrangement that are wider and come with an integrated leg rest.
Routes
According to AirportSpotting.com, Air China operates the following routes with the Airbus A350-900
- Beijing PEK – CTU Chengdu
- Beijing PEK – CAN Guangzhou
- Beijing PEK – LHR London Heathrow
- Beijing PEK – MXP Milan Malpensa
- Beijing PEK – CDG Paris Charles de Gaulle – Starts 1 August 2019
- Beijing PEK – SHA Shanghai Hongqiao
- Beijing PEK – SIN Singapore
- Shanghai Pudong PVG – FRA Frankfurt
- Shanghai Pudong PVG – MXP Milan Malpensa
- Shanghai Pudong PVG – MUC Munich
With additional aircraft now set to arrive, more routes will see a far more comfortable experience.
Have you flown on Air China’s Airbus A350? Let us know your experience!