Rare Footage Alert: Airbus’s New A350 Lands in Taiwan — Exclusive Look Inside the Aircraft

▲ A350 interior detail video also includes the cockpit and flight attendant rest area.

Reported and photographed by reporter You [Character Unreadable] on the A350

Airbus’s latest passenger aircraft, the A350 XWB, has arrived in Taiwan. This plane from Airbus’s test flight fleet will conduct experience flights over the next two days and is scheduled to leave Taiwan on the 20th. The A350-900 on display in Taipei features Airbus’s original factory livery, offers two cabin classes, and allows visitors to explore its new interior design features, such as high ceilings, larger baggage space, and panoramic windows. ETtoday EBC News boarded the A350 Demo aircraft to give readers an exclusive early look.


▲ Deputy Minister of Transportation Wu Mengfen, China Airlines Chairman Sun Hongxiang, and Airbus Senior Vice President for Asia-Pacific, Rafael, toast onboard. (Shown right to left).

The A350-900 on display in Taipei has two cabin classes: business class is configured with four seats per row, offering 42 fully flat seats, while economy class has nine 18-inch-wide seats per row, totaling 210 seats. The aircraft is also equipped with special flight test equipment. China Airlines has ordered 14 new A350 XWB wide-body aircraft, which will begin delivery in 2016. China Airlines Chairman Sun Hongxiang stated that the A350 XWB will mainly be used for long-haul routes and some regional routes, eventually replacing the A340.


▲ In addition to the cockpit (top image), the A350 Demo aircraft is also equipped with a control station for monitoring the aircraft's internal conditions (bottom image).

Airbus Marketing Director Mike said that an increasing number of passengers bring carry-on luggage on board, making the aircraft’s more spacious overhead storage a key selling point.

The A350 XWB can carry up to 314 passengers and fly up to 8,000 nautical miles, allowing non-stop flights from Taipei to Europe or North America. XWB stands for Extra Wide Body, emphasizing the aircraft’s spacious design, with a cabin width of 221 inches. Airbus Marketing Director Milk Bausor noted that the economy class features 18-inch-wide seats that are more spacious than those on the 777, arranged in a 3-3-3 layout. The business class is outfitted with lie-flat seats, and the quiet cabin offers panoramic windows, large overhead bins capable of holding one carry-on suitcase per economy passenger and two per business passenger. The aircraft’s LED lighting can produce 16.7 million colors, enabling each airline to create its own unique ambiance. There is also an air circulation system that refreshes the cabin air every 2 to 3 minutes.


▲ Experience the aircraft’s elegant interior lighting.



▲ Enjoy the spacious cabin and 22-inch screens.

The A350 XWB features the most advanced aerodynamic design, a fuselage and wings made of carbon fiber, and new Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines that are the most fuel-efficient available. It reduces both fuel consumption and emissions by 25%, along with lower maintenance costs. So far, it has received 244 orders from Asia and 780 orders globally. Aside from China Airlines, major customers in the Asia-Pacific region include Asiana Airlines, Air China, Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, and Vietnam Airlines.

Experience the aircraft’s elegant and sleek cabin design.
  

The external appearance of the A350. (Photo provided by Airbus)