First Emirates A350 Emerges In France

Emirates’ first Airbus A350 is readying to be delivered, and as the day approaches, more action is being spotted at Airbus HQ in Toulouse.

Twitter users @robin_hrdy and @nunoseletti have shared photos of an Airbus A350, likely the first destined for the Dubai-based carrier as preparations continue.

The aircraft is MSN684 and will be registered as A6-EXA upon delivery to Emirates; however, its registration with Airbus currently follows the theme laid out for other units, with it being F-WZGA.

The photos depict the tail of the Airbus A350 painted in the revised Emirates colours revealed last year, which notably makes the UAE flag pop with 3D elements applied.

Once delivered, the Airbus A350 will form a key part of Emirates’ future, with the expected delivery date remaining in the third quarter of 2024. These deliveries will continue over the next four years. However, timelines are always subject to change.

A Big Airbus A350 Order

A total of 65 Airbus A350s are on order. These aircraft are spread across two separate orders, with the first coming in 2019 and the secondary top-up deal announced only at the end of 2023.

Notably, all 65 Airbus A350s ordered are for the -900, with the -1000 not currently being opted for. The airline still has commitments to the 787, with much unclear on this front and orders for the 777X.

Emirates has been forced to rethink its fleet strategy following Airbus’ decision to cease production on the world’s largest passenger plane. Moving forward, the airline will look to keep its fleet young, but instead of relying on just two aircraft, the series will expand its horizons to multiple.

The airline says it’s excited at the prospect of debuting the aircraft to markets such as Adelaide in Australia. This is the type of city that’ll benefit from an A350 service, but it might be too small for the A380. If anything, it enhances flexibility across Emirates’ network and allows new markets to make sense.