QATAR AIRWAYS’ FIRST COMMERCIAL A350 FLIGHT LANDS IN FRANKFURT

Global launch customer Qatar Airways’ inaugural A350 XWB flight was ceremoniously welcomed on Thursday, 15 January, at Frankfurt Airport. The first flight officially marked the start of the A350 XWB service between Frankfurt and Doha, with the new aircraft’s modern equipment and innovative technology delivering an unparalleled travel experience for passengers.

The five-star airline and world’s first commercial A350 XWB flight was greeted with great excitement by gathered VIPs and media as Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker and Fabrice Brégier, AirbusPresident and Chief Executive Officer, together with numerous other guests of honour, were all formally welcomed by members of the Fraport Executive Board and representatives of Qatar Airways Europe.

“This is a very important milestone for Qatar Airways, and our first commercial A350 flight was filled with passengers enjoying the inaugural and exclusive travel experience that this tremendous new aircraft has to offer. The A350 XWB truly changes the travel experience and we are particularly pleased to put it on our route to Frankfurt; an important destination that we started servicing in 2002,” said His Excellency Mr. Al Baker.

“At Airbus, we have been working towards this first commercial flight of the A350 XWB for nearly a decade. It filled me with great pride and satisfaction to see the first passengers enjoy the comfort and quietness of the aircraft in flight. The A350 XWB delivers a 25 percent improvement in fuel efficiency to its operators – and being the world’s quietest twin-engine widebody aircraft, it will truly be a good neighbour at every airport,” said Fabrice Brégier, Airbus President and CEO.

“The inauguration of the world’s first A350 XWB route from Doha to Frankfurt marks another milestone in aviation, which Frankfurt Airport is proud to share. We congratulate Qatar Airways, Airbus and Rolls-Royce on this magnificent airplane and this memorable day. We will all benefit from the latest technology that is being implemented with this advanced aircraft type: passengers, airlines as well as airports and their surrounding regions. The significant reduction in noise emissions achieved by the A350 will help contribute to quieter flying at Frankfurt,” said Fraport AG Executive Board Member for Operations (COO), Anke Giesen.

Qatar Airways’ first A350 XWB is now officially operating one of the two daily services to Frankfurt, the airline’s first destination for this aircraft on its network of 146 destinations. Speaking at the press conference, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, announced that the airline’s second A350 XWB, which will join the fleet in February, will also commence operations on the Frankfurt route beginning 1st March, 2015.