Senior Airline representatives from TAM, the A350 XWB’s launch customer in the Americas, as well as personnel from other Latin American airlines, government officials and media, boarded MSN 2 for a static display and demonstration flight over Sao Paulo. LATAM Airlines Group, made up of LAN Airlines and TAM Airlines, has ordered 27 A350-900. Synergy Aerospace, Avianca’s main shareholder and owner of Avianca Brasil, has ordered 10 A350 XWB.
The A350-900 that was displayed in Sao Paulo is an Airbus flight test aircraft fitted with a two class cabin with 42 lie-flat business class seats in a four abreast configuration and 210 economy-class seats set at nine abreast. The aircraft is also fitted with special on-board flight test equipment.
The A350 XWB is the latest addition to the market-leading Airbus widebody product line. Seating up to 369 passengers in a two class layout, the aircraft can fly on routes of up to 8,000 nautical miles. The aircraft features the latest aerodynamic design, carbon fibre fuselage and wings, plus new fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines. Together, these latest technologies translate into unrivalled levels of operational efficiency, with a 25 per cent reduction in fuel burn and emissions, and significantly lower maintenance costs.
For passengers, the A350 XWB brings new levels of in-flight comfort, with more personal space in all classes. In the premium cabin airlines can install the most luxurious lie-flat seats, while the extra wide fuselage allows for comfortable full service or budget layouts in economy class. The aircraft also features wider panoramic windows, larger overhead stowage compartments and a new draught-free air conditioning system, as well as the latest in-flight entertainment and connectivity systems. At the end of June 2015, the A350 XWB had won 781 firm orders worldwide from 40 customers.
With more than 950 aircraft sold and a backlog of nearly 500, 27 customers operate nearly 600 Airbus aircraft throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. In May, Airbus celebrated its 500th aircraft delivery in Latin America.
8 July 2015 Press Release
