Qatar Airways (QR, Doha Hamad International) has taken delivery of its first A350-1000 following a ceremony held at Toulouse Blagnac on Tuesday, February 20. A7-ANA (msn 88) will be positioned to Doha Hamad International later this week ahead of its deployment into service on February 24 on the London Heathrow route.
In terms of specifications, the aircraft is powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 powerplants and seats a total of 327 passengers.
The Gulf-based carrier currently has thirty-seven -1000s on order from Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) alongside eighteen outstanding orders for the A350-900s.
Airline CEO Akbar al Baker told a press conference that given the improved operability of the -1000 over the -900, Qatar Airways is considering converting an unspecified number of -900s to the -1000s. On the -900(ULR) offering, al Baker said at the moment, there was no interest in the ultra-longhaul capable aircraft.
