The first A350-900 for Hong Kong Airlines has completed its maiden flight in Toulouse, France. The aircraft has now entered the final phase of production, further ground checks and test flights, before being prepared for delivery at the end of August. Hong Kong Airlines has a total of 15 A350 XWB on order.
Bringing new levels of efficiency and comfort in the long range market, the A350 family will be especially well suited to the needs of Asia-Pacific airlines. Firm orders for the A350 from carriers in the region represent over a third of total sales for the type to date.
With the delivery of its first A350, Hong Kong Airlines will be one step closer to turn itself from a regional airline to a global carrier. The new aircraft has already been assigned an important role to serve the company’s upcoming long-haul route to Los Angeles, commencing December 18, 2017. Both, the A350 aircraft and destination Los Angeles are significant corporate developments that demonstrate Hong Kong Airlines’ rapid and substantial growth, as well as its commitment to delivering more to its customers. The company is expecting to receive two additional A350 by the end of the year. To cope with such rapid expansion, Hong Kong Airlines gears up resources by inviting experienced pilots from around the world to join the company.
The A350 XWB features the latest aerodynamic design, carbon fiber fuselage and wings, plus new fuel-efficient Rolls Royce engines. Together, these latest technologies translate into unrivalled levels of operational efficiency, with a 25% reduction in fuel burn and emissions, and significantly lower maintenance costs. As the founding member of “Airspace by Airbus” cabin brand, the A350 XWB cabin provides passengers and crews the best in comfort, well-being and technology.
To date, Airbus has recorded a total of 848 firm orders for the A350 XWB from 45 clients worldwide, already making it one of the most successful wide-body aircrafts ever.
About Hong Kong Airlines
Established in 2006, Hong Kong Airlines is a full-service airline firmly rooted in Hong Kong. It has grown remarkably in just ten years with a wide destination network covering over 30 major cities across the Asia Pacific region, including Gold Coast, Auckland, Beijing, Shanghai, Taipei, Tokyo, Sapporo, Seoul, Bangkok, Bali and Okinawa, and extending its reach to North America in 2017 with the launch of the Vancouver route in June, and upcoming Los Angeles route in December.
The Company has also signed codeshare agreements with 17 codeshare and 76 interline partners respectively. The current operating fleet is made up of 33 Airbus aircraft, consisting of 29 passenger aircraft and 4 freighters. With an average age of around five years, Hong Kong Airlines operates one of the youngest fleets in the world. Hong Kong Airlines has been awarded the internationally acclaimed four-star rating from Skytrax since 2011. It was also the winner for Asia’s Leading Inflight Service in World Travel Awards 2015.
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