Taiwan-based carrier China Airlines has confirmed the acquisition of a further five Airbus A350-1000s as the carrier expands its long-haul fleet.
The aircraft will join a further ten of the type io the airline’s order book as the company begins a multi-billion-dollar long-haul fleet expansion strategy to take it into the 2030s.
China Airlines orders five more Airbus A350-1000s
On 18 December, European manufacturer Airbus said that Taipei-based China Airlines had placed firm orders for five additional A350-1000s, the largest variant of the twin-aisle A350 family. The order will supplement the airline’s initial order for ten of the widebody jets placed in December 2024.
All 15 new A350-1000 aircraft will join 15 of the smaller A350-900s that are already in the carrier’s fleet, allowing for a high level of fleet commonality.
No specific timeline was given for the latest acquisitions, although with order backlogs ballooning at Airbus, their entries into service are likely to be some years away.
The move comes following a filing with the Taiwan Stock Exchange in late November of this year, when the Taiwanese carrier said its board had approved a major fleet upgrade programme that would see 18 new widebodies added to the carrier’s fleet in the coming years.
The new widebody aircraft (which is expected to include both the five new A350s plus a number of Boeing 777Xs) will be used to modernise the carrier’s existing fleet, replace its older aircraft and facilitate the carrier’s planned network growth in future years.
“Expanding our A350-1000 fleet marks another important step in our long-term growth strategy,” said Kao Shing-Hwang, Chairman of China Airlines. “The A350’s exceptional efficiency and passenger comfort align with our goals to modernise our fleet, enhance long-haul competitiveness and deliver an elevated travel experience to our customers,” he added.
China Airlines and the A350-1000
Each of the new Airbus A350-1000s will be powered by a pair of Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 turbofan engines and will feature the signature Airbus ‘Airspace’ cabin.
With a maximum range of up to 9,800 nautical miles (18,000 km), the A350-1000 is the most efficient aircraft in its class with a 25% reduction in fuel burn over its competitors.
As with all Airbus aircraft, the A350 is already able to operate with up to 50% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). Airbus is targeting to have its aircraft up to 100% SAF capable by 2030.
“We greatly value our long-standing partnership with China Airlines. This follow-on order is a strong vote of confidence in the A350-1000 as the right aircraft for China Airlines’ future network ambitions,” said Benoit de Saint-Exupéry, Airbus Executive Vice President of Commercial Aircraft Sales.
“Its next-generation efficiency, range and cabin comfort will bring even greater value to China Airlines and its passengers,” he added.
China Airlines is facing a capacity crunch
The order comes as the airline is facing a capacity crunch in the coming years. With demand in its home market for both domestic and international travel soaring, the carrier is struggling to fulfil that demand with its existing fleet.
To this end, older aircraft are being retained for longer while the airline awaits delivery of newer jets from the two main manufacturers, both of which have lengthy lead times and are currently facing supply chain bottlenecks.
“We are at present being greatly impacted,” Kao told Reuters in an interview in June of this year. “Some aircraft that were scheduled to be phased out, or handed back at the end of their lease, as some are leased, will remain and have their leases extended.”
In addition to the 15 A350 on order, China Airlines has ordered 24 Boeing 787s, including 18 787-9s and six of the stretched 787-10 variant. The first of these was due for delivery in 2025.
None have yet arrived, with the chairman saying he does not expect delivery of the first until 2026. It expects another three to be delivered by the end of 2026 and will begin passenger 787 flights in June 2026 to Bangkok and Tokyo.
In addition to the 15 A350-1000 orders already announced, China Airlines plans to add eight more Airbus A321neo to its fleet. As reported by Reuters back in June, the total cost of acquiring the new Airbus jets (both the A321neos and the A350-1000s) is expected to exceed $2 billion.
China Airlines sees success with Airbus A350
According to Planespotters.net, the airline took delivery of its first A350-900 in September 2016 and received its most recent example in January 2024. The airline’s current A350 fleet has an average age of 8.3 years. Each is configured to accommodate 307 passengers in a three-class configuration.
According to data obtained from Cirium, the airline’s current A350 fleet serves a multitude of routes from Taipei’s Airport (TPE), including Auckland, Brisbane, Amsterdam, Bangkok, Jakarta, Rome, Frankfurt, Seoul, Melbourne, Tokyo, Osaka, Ontario, Seattle, Shanghai, Vienna and Singapore.
According to an Airbus statement, by the end of November of this year, the A350 family had won nearly 1,500 orders from 66 customers worldwide.
Featured image: Airbus
