Airbus, the world's largest aircraft manufacturer, has received its biggest order to date for its new A350F freighter.
Atlas Air today announced a firm order for 20 Airbus A350F freighters, with options for an additional 20 aircraft, making Atlas the largest customer for the upcoming widebody freighter platform.
Not yet in the service, the Airbus A350F deliveries to Atlas are expected to begin in the year 2029 and be completed in 2034.
With the freighter version of the A350 passenger jet, Airbus aims to break the dominance of US aircraft manufacturer Boeing in the large cargo aircraft market. The A350F is scheduled to enter scheduled service in 2027.
The A350F, powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines, will support strategic expansion and broaden Atlas’ fleet offerings across global cargo and charter markets.
Rolls-Royce, that will poer up the A350F fleet of Atlas, said :
Atlas Air Worldwide orders 40 Trent XWB-97 engines, covered by our flagship TotalCare offering, to become the first customer in the Americas of the A350F. With billions of miles of real-world flying and counting, the Trent XWB-97 is always ahead.
Michael Steen, Chief Executive Officer, Atlas Air Worldwide, said :
“We are proud to become the largest customer for the Airbus A350F, securing early delivery positions for this next-generation widebody freighter platform,” “This order reflects our commitment to maintaining the industry’s most modern and fuel-efficient widebody freighter fleet to best serve existing and new customers worldwide."
"The A350F is a highly capable, reliable platform, with incremental payload and range benefits, and a strong sustainability profile. We are pleased to add Airbus and Rolls-Royce to our supplier base of leading aircraft and engine manufacturers, offering us optionality and supporting our global operations and continued growth.”
Lars Wagner, CEO Commercial Aircraft at Airbus, said:
“We are proud to welcome Atlas, the leading global widebody freighter operator, to the Airbus family and are committed to a long-term partnership as Atlas introduces this new platform into its fleet,” “The A350F delivers unmatched efficiency, performance and sustainability, and we very much look forward to seeing it flying in Atlas’ colors.”
These aircraft will complement the Company’s existing fleet of 113 aircraft – Boeing 747s, 777s, and 767s.
