British Airways Receives Final Airbus A350-1000

British Airways recently received the delivery of its final Airbus A350-1000 aircraft. The airline is one of the top five operators of the longer variant of the A350 and deploys the type across a range of destinations globally, from India and Ghana to South Africa and Brazil.

Delivery flight

Hawk-eyed aviation enthusiasts noticed a special Airbus A350-1000 flight on February 21. The aircraft is mostly used for some of the longest flights in the world, given its exceptional range. But on Wednesday, a British Airways A350-1000 flew from Toulouse, France, to London Heathrow Airport.

The delivery flight of BA’s final A350-1000 (registered G-XWBS) lasted about an hour and a half, and with this, it now has 18 of the type. The airline has a diverse fleet and also operates many other aircraft from Airbus and Boeing, including the A320 family of jets, A380, Boeing 777s, and 787s.

BA uses its Airbus A350-1000 extensively on several long-haul routes. The range of the plane allows it to connect to almost every city on its global network. Per Cirium, the airline flies the type to several destinations, including Mumbai, Delhi, Las Vegas, San Diego, Cape Town, Toronto, Denver, Nairobi, and Accra, among others.

A delight in the air

British Airways operated its first commercial flight on the A350 in 2019 between London Heathrow and Madrid Barajas Airport. It was quite an event for the airline, and passengers received several treats and freebies. Simple Flying’s Tom Boon was on that flight, and you can read his review in the article below.

Last year, British Airways’ director of flying, Captain James Basnett, told a Royal Aeronautical Society audience that the A350’s entry into service with the airline has been smooth. He added that the plane is sophisticated enough to maintain efficient operations but also gives the satisfaction of manual flight. FlightGlobal quotes him as saying,

“It’s probably true to say that, once you’re away from the ground there’s a sense of relief, because the set-up of the aircraft is time-consuming and critical. Once you’re in the air, [the A350 is] a delight.”

Several airlines operate the A350-1000

The list of airlines operating the A350-1000 variant is gradually growing. Japan Airlines recently took delivery of its first -1000 and has already deployed it on flights to New York JFK from Tokyo Haneda. In fact, eight airlines are operating 21 routes to the US this month using the A350-1000, involving 15 airports countrywide.

Photo: Phuong D. Nguyen | Shutterstock

British Airways is among the top five airlines with the most A350-1000 in its fleet. Others include Etihad with five of the type, Virgin Atlantic with ten, Cathay Pacific with 17, and Qatar Airways with 23.

Related

The 5 Largest Airbus A350-1000 Fleets

Qatar Airways leads the pack with 23 active A350-1000s in the sky.

Have you traveled on an Airbus A350-1000? What was your experience like? Please let us know in the comment section below.