Emirates unveils first A350 aircraft

Emirates Airline has marked the delivery of the first of its A350 fleet with a special unveiling ceremony at its headquarters in Dubai on Wednesday.

The event was led by Sir Tim Clark, the President of Emirates Airline, in the presence of His Excellency Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy.

A host of other VIP guests, including aerospace partners Airbus and Rolls-Royce, and government officials, members of the media, and aviation enthusiasts were also in attendance.

Guests were able to experience the aircraft’s interiors, equipped with its next generation products and latest technologies and test out the comfort of the cabins.

It's the first new type of aircraft to be introduced to the Emirates Airline network since 2008, with the airline operating A380 and Boeing 777 planes exclusively from 2016 after retiring the A340-500.

The Airbus A350 aircraft are designated for medium and long-haul operations, with Emirates offering three cabin classes: 32 Business Class seats, 21 Premium Economy seats, and 259 Economy Class seats.

With 64 more A350s on the way, Tim Clark said the plane opens up new destinations previously considered unviable, with flights from Dubai non-stop to most places in the world.

And he said he's excited about the A350 for many reasons - alongside opening up new destinations, it's the opportunity to offer a premium economy experience to more customers, and to play a role in Dubai's economic strategy D33.

The first A350 flight will depart from Dubai to Edinburgh, Scotland, on January 3, 2025.

In the months to follow, customers can look forward to experiencing the Emirates A350 in existing GCC points like Bahrain, Muscat and Kuwait, Lyon and Bologna in Europe, and Colombo, Mumbai and Ahmedabad in West Asia in addition to new travel opportunities that are up to 15 hours from Dubai, to also be announced next year.