Airbus To Launch New A350?

Airbus is currently evaluating the future of its commercial airplanes division, and a new A350 model could be part of that.

Guillaume Faury, the CEO of Airbus, when speaking with Aviation Week, discussed the prospective new A350 model as a means to evolve the widebody program, which has become a global success.

As part of his comments, suggestions were made that a possibility to counter some of the 777-9s sales was to move ahead with a longer version of the A350 model, thus extending the capacity of the A350-1000 further.

The Boeing 777X remains uncertified. However, the 777-9 model is the direct competitor to the A350-1000; the latter has been certified for a significant period and has been able to gain a lead over the 777X.

In addition to this, Airbus now finds itself in a fortunate position where it can explore alternative means to attract new customers, retain existing ones, and counter upcoming sales from its direct competitor.

While details on the prospective new A350 model remain scarce, they indicate the continued focus on innovation unfolding at Airbus.

The company suggested that the further stretch, which is just a possibility, had no specific timeline attached to it. Airbus sees the possible new model as an evolution of the program.

With the requirements for commercial aircraft evolving, a new A350 model would offer greater range and capacity compared to previous models, highlighting innovation and the need for more seats in congested markets.

Long-Rumoured New Airbus A350

A prospective new Airbus A350 model has long been rumoured; however, it has not been the subject of any formal discussion or action since the COVID-19 global pandemic.

Dubbed the A350-2000 or more commonly the A350 Stretch at different points throughout the 2010s, this prospective aircraft variant was seen as a natural extension from the A350-1000 to help replace superjumbos and combat 777X sales.

However, despite internal interest from Airbus, it was ultimately not pursued. The last time an executive at Airbus mentioned it, it was stated that priorities lay elsewhere.

Additionally, Airbus has reaffirmed time and time again that it does not want to overcomplicate the product line, especially in 2025 when there are already challenges in maintaining output rates.

Other concerns are that a prospective stretch of the A350 model would render the A350-1000 obsolete; in turn, Airbus would find itself cannibalising a currently popular variant of the program.

All in all, the prospective new variant follows a desire to continue closing the gap with the 777X and laying a foundation that sees fewer customers feeling the need to move towards the Boeing long-haul jet, especially as more quad-engined widebodies begin being retired in due course.

The retirement of these larger aircraft, such as the A380, poses questions for planemakers who are not building natural replacements, just as much as it does for airlines needing a replacement that will not be of the same capabilities.

Therefore, could a new A350 model help close that gap?

What’s Next For The A350?

Despite some internal interest in developing a new A350 model, there remain obstacles to overcome and new endeavours that need to be launched first.

For the manufacturer’s passenger aircraft portfolio, the upcoming A350-1000ULR is set to debut with Qantas, marking a significant milestone for the Australian flag-carrier, which is described as the final frontier of travel.

This ultra-long-haul model will enable non-stop flying for over 20 hours and break the previous restrictions imposed on airlines, such as Qantas, due to its geographical positioning.

Another exciting endeavour also in the works is the launch of the A350 Freighter; this is a game-changing move by the planemaker in a bid to combat the long-term success Boeing has enjoyed in the cargo market.

The jet has already attracted interest, which has materialised into orders, and despite some delays, spells a new era for Airbus as they chase market share in this sector for the long term.

Away from the positives, Airbus is also aware it needs to resolve the many ongoing supply chain constraints that have affected the production of this widebody series, among others.

The prospect of a new A350 model remains exciting, and it wouldn’t be the first time such a development has been mentioned. However, with more legs, it presents profound discussions to be had about what’s next.