Why Airbus Wants A New A350

Airbus has suggested that it may further develop the A350 program, potentially leading to the release of a new model.

But why would the manufacturer look to evolve the successful program so soon, and would it be the right decision?

Developing The A350 Program

Talk of Airbus proceeding with a new A350 follows comments from Guillaume Faury, the CEO of Airbus, shared with Aviation Week.

This interview focused on the prospective new A350 model as a means to evolve the widebody program and find ways to build upon the success that has been enjoyed.

Primarily, the focus of the new variant will be to develop the A350-1000 with increased range and additional capacity.

Unlike its counterpart, Boeing, Airbus now finds itself in a fortunate position where it can explore innovation and find ways to attract new customers, retain existing ones, and counter the upcoming sales of competitor aircraft.

Despite initial comments on this prospective variant, details on the A350 model remain scarce. Still, they highlight that innovation is once again at the forefront of the long-term business plan.

With the requirements for commercial aircraft evolving, a new A350 model would offer greater range and capacity compared to previous models.

Additionally, as concerns about congestion at major international airports continue to grow among some airlines, the higher-capacity model may be a more efficient solution.

Fending Off The Boeing 777X

A key reason why Airbus is also looking further to develop the A350 program with a new model is to erode the position of the 777X.

Boeing’s 777X was launched in 2013; however, the jet remains uncertified and is yet to make its mark on the industry, with that not expected for another couple of years.

What Airbus has been able to do in this time is get its A350 airborne and prove it as an efficient solution.

As a result, the A350-1000 already rivals the 777-9, but if Airbus could find a way to erode any requirement for the 777X for customers, this would be beneficial.

Adding possible efficiency upgrades, better capacity, and range to the -1000 model poses the question to customers considering the 777X: Should they stick with the current model or make the switch to Airbus for their future long-haul needs?

The Quad-Engined Replacement

A significant amount of focus in the industry for some airlines is also the desire for a new high-capacity airliner to emerge, notably from Dubai-based Emirates.

Emirates is the largest operator of the Airbus A380; however, it is aware that despite its calls for a successor, a new model remains highly unlikely from the planemaker.

One of Emirates’ most concerns has been how it’ll go about replacing the quad-engined plane, and this can extend to a certain degree for other global carriers as well.

With congestion expected to increase across major airports and new airports struggling to be built quickly enough, let alone expand terminals, Emirates has repeatedly expressed its concerns about the impact this will have on operations.

For those flying with a hub-and-spoke model, these quad-engined superjumbos still serve a purpose, even if they are inefficient.

Therefore, an option such as an even higher capacity A350 model which could exceed the 777-9 to be on par with increased range may be what these major airlines desire instead of opting for something smaller to replace their quad-engined superjumbos.

Building On Success

Since the series entered service, Airbus has enjoyed considerable success with its A350 family, and the prospect of launching a new variant would likely build upon this.

However, a new A350 variant is not something the industry hasn’t heard before. Throughout the 2010s, there was considerable discussion about Airbus further enhancing its product.

Dubbed the A350-2000 or more commonly the Stretch, 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, since then, the planemaker has shifted its focus towards the A350-1000ULR and a dedicated freighter, with both variants set to serve an essential purpose in the short term.

Ultimately, whether Airbus fully commits to developing a new model in the family remains to be seen, but its expressed interest can be taken as a positive sign.