Aviation

Malaysia Airlines takes delivery of its first A350 XWB

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Malaysia Airlines Berhad (MAB) has taken delivery of its first A350-900, leased from Air Lease Corporation (NYSE: AL) (ALC), becoming the 17^th airline to operate the world’s newest, most modern and efficient twin engine widebody airliner. The delivery was celebrated upon arrival at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

ALC receives its first A350-900 out of an order for 29 A350 Family aircraft. Eventually Malaysia Airlines will operate six A350-900s, all leased from ALC.

Malaysia Airlines will initially deploy the aircraft on flights within Asia. From the first quarter of 2018, the A350 will fly on the airline’s premier long haul service from Kuala Lumpur to London.

Malaysia Airlines is the first carrier to offer a First Class cabin in the A350-900. The aircraft is configured in a three class cabin layout with a total of 286 seats. This comprises four in First Class, 35 in Business, featuring convertible seats to fully flat beds and 247 in Economy.

Malaysia Airlines already operates 24 Airbus aircraft including six A380, 15 A330-300 and three A330-200F on its regional routes and long haul services.

Malaysia Airlines CEO Captain Izham Ismail said, “We are very excited to welcome this new addition to our family. With its technological advancements the A350-900 is an important milestone for us on this journey, helping boost our competitiveness on our long haul flights. The addition of the A350-900 also underlines our commitment to operate a young and modern fleet.”

Related Topics:A350 XWB Malaysia airline New take off

Aviation

COMAC Unveils Plans for the C929 to Rival Airbus and Boeing

After the success of China’s first C919 aircraft, the country is setting its sights on developing a larger plane. COMAC (Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China) has officially confirmed plans to build a widebody aircraft, marking a significant step in its aircraft lineup.

Traditionally, Airbus and Boeing dominate the widebody aircraft market, with decades of expertise in developing planes and engines capable of carrying heavy payloads. China, which currently relies on imported engines, is now aiming to challenge these giants with its own widebody jet, the C929, designed to compete with the Airbus A350 and Boeing 777.

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The C929 will be China’s first independently developed long-range widebody aircraft. It adheres to international airworthiness standards and boasts independent intellectual property rights. The baseline version is designed to seat 280 passengers and offers a range of 12,000 kilometers, catering to global demand for both regional and international air travel.

Russia, which also needs reliable narrowbody and widebody aircraft, could become a key customer for the C929. Additionally, China plans to target the broader Asian market as it continues to expand its aviation capabilities.

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China’s aviation progress includes the ARJ21 (now called C909), a regional jet with 100 seats for shorter routes, and the C919, a narrowbody jet with 180 seats designed to rival the Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A320. Both models have found increasing demand in the domestic market.

At China’s largest air show in Zhuhai, COMAC announced that Air China will be the launch customer for the C929 widebody jet, though details about order size and delivery timelines were not disclosed.

Other major deals announced by COMAC include:

Hainan Airlines: Firm orders for 60 C919 and 40 C909 regional jets.
Colorful Guizhou Airlines: 30 C909 jets, with 20 firm orders and 10 provisional agreements.

The C929, renamed from the CR929 after Russia withdrew from the joint development project in 2023, is expected to carry 280–400 passengers with a range of 12,000 kilometers, competing directly with Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner.

According to COMAC’s deputy general manager, Tong Yu, the first fuselage section of the C929 is expected by September 2027, with prototype test flights anticipated soon after.