Following lengthy type certification delays with the China Civil Aviation Administration (CAAC), Sichuan Airlines (3U, Chengdu Shuangliu) has, at last, taken over its first of fourteen A350-900s due to deliver direct from Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac).
On lease from AerCap, B-301D (msn 60) was handed over at a ceremony at Toulouse Blagnac on Wednesday, August 8. Sichuan Airlines' A350s will feature a total of 331 seats with 28 in business class and 303 in economy.
Schedule data shows it is provisionally slated to enter revenue service from Thursday, August 16, onwards with flights from Chengdu Shuangliu to each of Beijing Capital and Shanghai Pudong. Eventually, Sichuan Airlines will deploy its A350s on longhaul flights to Europe and the East Coast of the United States.
