Massive Airbus A350 News

Airbus has welcomed a major shift to its orderbook for the popular A350 program, thanks to Korean Air.

In the space of the week, a second deal has been secured for the planemaker’s upcoming dedicated freighter, the A350F, with Korean Air making a shift in its preferences for the widebody program.

Korean Air will convert seven of its existing orders for the high-capacity A350-1000 model to A350F orders, making it the newest customer of the aircraft.

The South Korean company’s decision to shift its order book does not completely diminish the role of the high-capacity model in the fleet moving forward; rather, it represents a shift.

That shift follows Korean Air’s order for the A350 last year, when there were commitments for the -1000 and the -900. Now, orders for the -1000 will be reduced to 20, with seven A350Fs to be acquired and six of the -900 passenger model.

Much of Korean Air’s A350 purchase followed its integration with Asiana Airlines. This fellow South Korean carrier already flies the Airbus widebody, and, as a result, Korean Air purchased the jet to improve efficiency and fleet harmony.

Airbus calls the purchase a natural decision that looks to reinforce Korean Air as one of the world’s largest cargo operators. Now those operations will be conducted, the planemaker says, with the most efficient solution in the freighter segment.

The Latest On The A350F

For Airbus, work continues on the upcoming freighter, with positive news in recent months that saw aircraft components arrive in Toulouse for final assembly to begin on the first aircraft.

Once this is completed, the first A350F will enter its critical testing phase as it moves towards certification, which is more complex than ever before, with regulations having tightened considerably.

As for the launch of the newest model, it is expected to occur in the second half of 2027 and follows the planemaker confirming the delay earlier this year after it realised the previously set-out timeline was unrealistic.

Not just in this freighter program, but Airbus has also battled supply chain woes with its passenger jets over the past few years. While this has made production of passenger planes challenging, it has made jet certification even more difficult.

The Most Recent Order

Korean Air’s order adjustment, which sees it purchase the Airbus A350 Freighter, comes just a matter of days after another deal was confirmed for the highly touted jet.

Air China Cargo, a subsidiary of Air China, announced the development in a filing confirming its clear intention to purchase 10 dedicated freighters, the purchase still requiring shareholder approval, scheduled for November 14, 2025.

For Air China Cargo, the purchase will allow the modernisation of the freight fleet and for the business to offer greater capacity across key markets where demand for cargo operations continues to rise.

The company expects to take delivery of the aircraft over two years, between 2029 and 2031; however, the ten units are the total order, including options. At this point, the business has firm orders for six with options for an additional four.