Airbus rebuilds lost backlog with Lufthansa A350 order
A Lufthansa Group order for 20 additional A350-900’s has helped Airbus partially recover the backlog it lost after Middle Eastern carrier Etihad cancelled an order for 42 of the type earlier this month.
Lufthansa announced the order on March 13, taking its total commitments for the A350 XWB to 45 twelve of which are already in operation.
Dr. Detlef Kayser, a member of Lufthansa’s executive board said the aircraft which has met all their expectations “is extremely reliable and the feedback from our passengers is excellent.” said Group – Airlines Resources & Operational Standards. “We are delighted to be adding 20 more A350s to our fleet.
The carrier says the additional wide-body jets will help reduce unit costs and improve the reliability of Lufthansa’s long-haul fleet.
Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer said the top-up order from Lufthansa which is the world’s single largest customer for Airbus with 674 aircraft, was an endorsement of the new standards the A350 has set for long haul flying that combine extra-long-range capability with the lowest seat mile cost while offering passengers the highest standards of comfort.
Airbus had logged 852 firm orders from 48 customers for the A350 at the end of February 2019.