New Airline Prepares For First A350

A new airline is set to welcome its first Airbus A350-900 later this year, building the necessary framework to prepare for the delivery of its latest widebody.

The latest agreements cover pilot-training partnerships with Air Corsica and French Bee that aim to address the maintenance, crew, and fleet-reliability challenges of what is not just a game-changing but risky undertaking for the small airline.

Paris Operations Supported on the A330neo

Aircalin’s first agreement is with Corsair, which has given it technical backing for the Airbus A330neo fleet during Paris stopovers on the Nouméa–Bangkok–Paris service.

Aircalin says Corsair will provide the necessary maintenance support in Paris if required and will also monitor operations on the Paris–Bangkok sector. Additionally, the local technical resources at the European carrier will give Aircalin confidence on its longest route.

The airline’s agreement with Corsair is more relevant for the A330neo and upcoming preparations for the A350, given that both airlines fly widebodies powered by the Rolls-Royce Trent 7000. Given the commonality between the two, the engine support relationship with Rolls-Royce is also intended to improve stability and minimise risk when flying so far from its base.

Aircalin is a small operator and, as a consequence, having support at major overseas stations such as Paris is significant in providing reliable responses to any potential aircraft or operational concerns.

Airbus A350 Preparations Ramp Up

In addition to its agreement with Corsair, Aircalin has selected fellow Airbus A350 operator French Bee to support the development of A350 instructor pilots.

The programme and agreement will begin with type training at Airbus in Toulouse, using the manufacturer’s training facilities. However, Aircalin will then see pilots deployed for a three-month operational certification period at French Bee.

During the three-month window and the second phase of A350 pilot training, the New Caledonian carrier will work with French Bee to establish widebody operations and build familiarity before taking delivery later this year.

French Bee already uses the Airbus A350 on long-haul routes from Paris. As a France-based partner and fellow operator, Aircalin has signed an agreement with French Bee to better understand the new aircraft, which will be pivotal in the coming years.

A Small Airbus A350 Fleet Will Change Aircalin

Aircalin’s Airbus A350-900 operation will be small in number compared to other operators but arguably more impactful for the small island carrier.

Aircalin purchased just two Airbus A350-900s in December 2024, with the first aircraft scheduled for delivery by the end of 2026 and the second unit expected to follow in the years after, subject to no delivery delays.

The A350s offer more capacity than the current A330neo fleet and improve economics across long-haul flying, where the airline intends to deploy these A350-900s after delivery. Fuel consumption and carbon emissions are also expected to fall compared with the A330neos, while the capacity is vital to growing its network.

Partnerships with Corsair and French Bee are essential to familiarise Aircalin with the A350 family and ensure support is available at overseas stations on its longest routes. For a smaller airline, these long flights cannot be sustainable without this.

While Aircalin prepares for the next stage of its business and is optimistic about what it can achieve with two new widebody aircraft, the acquisition also carries risk. With risk comes opportunity, however, and the airline’s pursuit of partnerships with airlines helps keep contingency plans in place if a problem arises.