Qatar Airways, the launch customer of the Airbus A350 Xtra Wide Body aircraft, is set to receive its first delivery of the plane before the end of this year.

The airline has ordered 80 of the wide-body A350 XWB, which will be deployed on a various routes served by the Qatar Airways network.

The A350 MSN005 development aircraft recently concluded a world tour, touching down in 14 cities, demonstrating its readiness for airline operations on a global scale.

Qatar Airways group chief executive officer Akbar Al Baker said the airline was in the midst of a massive fleet expansion programme and the induction of the Airbus A350 XWB into the fleet will be a significant milestone for the airline.

“We take pride in introducing the latest products and services available to the industry and this new aircraft is a prime example of that. We look forward to offering to our passengers even more choice and variety in the young and modern fleet which we operate to more than 140 destinations across the world.” - TradeArabia News Service