Finnair will take delivery on October 7 of the first of 19 A350 WXB aircraft ordered from Airbus but plane buffs will have to wait until November 21 when the new state-of-the-art aircraft goes into long-haul service on the Helsinki-Shanghai route.

The next A350 long haul destinations include Beijing, Bangkok, Hong Kong and Singapore, while the carrier will also take the aircraft to New York later this year, becoming the first airline in the world to fly to the US with this new aircraft type.

“We are excited about welcoming the first A350 aircraft into our fleet, and look forward to introducing it to our customers,” says Finnair COO Ville Iho. “For the first few weeks, the new aircraft will serve crew familiarisation flights in Europe, with the first commercial flights taking place on October 9 to Amsterdam and Oslo.”

The new aircraft will also be a chance for Finnair to introduce a new business class product that includes Zodiac Cirrus III wide and long full-flat bed seats with direct access to the aisle; Wi-Fi and additional wireless in-flight entertainment services that connect directly to passengers’ own devices; and new menus matched with carefully selected wines.

Finnair has slightly adjusted its Airbus A350 long-haul launch schedule, due to changes in the expected delivery schedules of the company’s first A350 aircraft, the needs of the crew familiarisation program, and other operational factors.

“Introducing 19 new aircraft into our fleet over a period of eight years is a major program for Finnair,” says Iho. “We have built the necessary flexibility into our preparedness plans and our A340 exit plan to adjust to any changes that may arise over the course of this massive program, ensuring a smooth introduction of the new aircraft into our fleet.” www.finnair.com