Qatar Airways has introduced its Airbus A350 XWB-900 aircraft, which will enter service on the Doha-Frankfurt (Germany) route starting on 15 January.
The A350 XWB is one of the lightest aircraft of its type, made from advanced composite materials and powered by two new-generation Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines. Improvements to the new A350 include reduced noise and increased fuel efficiency, with 25% lower carbon dioxide emissions than current generation aircraft in its category.
The extra wide cabin allows for wider seats in Economy Class – 18 inches in a 3-3-3 layout – and a spacious 1-2-1 layout in Business Class.
The new interior offers the latest in-flight entertainment system with large screens and broad content selections. And, assuming the Inmarsat GX satellite network launches successfully in the coming year, the A350 will soon have a global connectivity suite offering high-speed connectivity onboard.
The A350 XWB is a faster, more efficient aircraft as a result of its tapered wing.
Despite these improvements, there will be no First Class cabin on Qatar’s new A350s. Only the A380s will have a First Class cabin going forward. According to Airways News, CEO Akbar Al Baker also suggested that a brand new Business Class product, which will make even today’s reasonably luxurious offering seem below par, will be installed in about 12 months’ time.
According to Al Baker, the Super Business Class will be obsolete from 2016. “The airline is developing a new seat for which it will have proprietary rights, and this will be a product that will be unrivalled in our industry,” he said. “And when you introduce that product into the aeroplane I really don’t think you need a First Class cabin.”