Emirates announced a new milestone on Monday with the delivery of its first Airbus A350 aircraft.
Completely New Aircraft Type
The unit registered as A6-EXA is marking a new era for the airline’s fleet. This delivery is the first of 65 A350 aircraft slated to join Emirates over the next several years and represents the first new aircraft type to enter the airline’s fleet since 2008.
The handover ceremony took place in Toulouse, France, with the A350 scheduled for a ferry flight to Dubai at 4 p.m. local time.
Soon in Commercial Service
Once it lands in Dubai, the aircraft will undergo final preparations at Emirates Engineering before its official unveiling at a special event later this week.
The new aircraft type was scheduled to enter service in 2024, with later timeline adjustments pushing that deadline into 2025.
After months of delays, the Airbus A350 will officially begin commercial operations in January, debuting with a flight to Edinburgh, Scotland. It will then expand its reach to eight additional destinations across the Middle East, West Asia, and Europe.
