Taiwanese carrier Starlux has five more Airbus A350F freighters for its cargo operation doubling the initial order placed by the airline.
Starlux already operates the A350 on its passenger routes which means the A350F will fit seamlessly into its operation. It also operates A321neo and A330neo Airbus aircraft.
The A350F, which is still in development, can carry a payload of 111 tonnes across distances up to 4,700 nautical miles (nm) with a 40% reduction in fuel burn compared to the previous generation of cargo aircraft.
“The cargo market is set to become a key element in our business model and will benefit from the advantages offered by Taiwan’s geographical location,” said STARLUX CEO Glenn Chai. “The A350F is the perfect choice for STARLUX, offering a similar payload-range capability as previous generation freighters, but with very significant reductions in fuel consumption and carbon emissions.”
“We thank STARLUX Airlines for its ongoing confidence in Airbus and its products,” added Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, Airbus EVP Sales Commercial Aircraft at Airbus. “The A350F will fit seamlessly into the carrier’s latest generation all-Airbus fleet which offers unrivalled levels of technical and operational commonality. This second order from this fast-growing airline is another endorsement of the all-new A350F as the future game-changer in heavy lift markets.”
Once in service, the A350F will offer airlines the largest side-loading cargo door of any freighter with a cargo deck optimised for loading standard cargo pallets and containers.
It will also be the first freighter aircraft to fully meet the International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAO) enhanced CO2 emissions standards.
The order brings the total for the Airbus A350F to 55.