Photo by Mohamed Morsi Kuwait Airways welcomes Airbus A350 … · ARAB TIMES, SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8,...
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ARAB TIMES, SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2015 4 LOCAL Photo by Mohamed Morsi Airbus A350 XWB at the Amiri Airport Photos by Mohamed Morsi Photos during the event highlighting core features of the A350 XWB. “The foremost concern of airlines is operational efficiency. Airbus invests large amounts of money in building new airplanes to enable airlines such as Kuwait Airways to enjoy very substantial economic benefits with a 25 percent reduction in fuel consumption than current long range airplanes.” He informed that there are two models of the A350 XWB, the A350- 900 that is being built in Toulouse at present and the A350-1000, a higher capacity aircraft still in development that will fly next year. “The airplane is built in Toulouse, in Southwest France at a brand new state of the art facility that allows us to produce air- planes of the highest quality and as many as ten each and every month until 2018”, he remarked. 783 orders for the A350 XWB have been received from 41 countries so far and Pardoe expects the number to grow. Until now, ten deliveries have been made with six to Qatar Airways, three to Vietnam Airlines and one to Finnair. “These deliveries are continuing and becoming more rapid and more numerous. Soon, the A350 will be seen in the skies around the world”, he said. Pardoe drew attention to the Rolls- Royce Trent XWB engine, which outperforms competitors in terms of fuel economy, emissions and overall efficiency. He also underscored the all-new fuselage built with carbon- fibre reinforce plastic (CFRP) that supports lower fuel burn, easier maintenance and increased resistance to corrosion. Additionally, the jetlin- er’s wings are more efficient, quieter, and tailored for maximum aerody- namic efficiency in the various phas- es of flight. Pardoe explained that to get the Revolutionary event in the history of air transportation in Kuwait: Al-Roumi Kuwait Airways welcomes Airbus A350 XWB By Cinatra Fernandes Arab Times Staff KUWAIT CITY, Nov 7: Kuwait Airways hosted the Airbus A350 XWB at the Amiri Airport on Thursday morning, a precursor to the ten aircrafts ordered by KAC that will join its upgraded fleet, starting 2020. The special event was attended by popular political and diplomatic personalities, representatives from Airbus, and media. The A350 XWB is a new genera- tion, extra wide body jetliner, made from advanced composite materials and powered by two new-generation Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines to deliver an operating range of 7600 nautical miles. Rasha Al-Roumi, Chairman and Managing Director of KAC stated, “This event is a crossroad not only in the history of our Corporation but in the industry of air transportation in Kuwait in general. This is the first time ever for the Airbus A350 XWB to land in Kuwait. KAC set a long- term strategy of strengthening its leading position between the air car- riers in the region and the world. This was behind signing this contract, aiming to inform the Kuwaiti society about this new type of airplane that will join the fleet of KAC”. Partnership “On this occasion we should thank the Airbus, this international compa- ny that have carried millions of pas- sengers around the world onboard of its aircrafts since it was established. We thank them for their cooperation with the KAC and this partnership, which is based on their trust in our services and reputation. Airbus is a leader of the best aircrafts in the world, as well as KAC is among the leaders of the airline companies in the region and the world,” she remarked. Al-Roumi informed that KAC made great improvements in its fleet focusing on safety and securi- ty, in addition to providing high quality maintenance due to its team of best technicians and trained serv- ice staff. “With announcing the joining of 25 new Airbus planes to our fleet, we open new bright page in the history of Kuwait Airways that appreciates the trust of its clients.” Fouad Attar, Managing Director, Airbus Middle East, stated “Today, we feel very much honored to bring the A350 XWB to Kuwait and give aviation experts a preview of Kuwait Airways’ future fleet. Kuwait is one of the most important markets in the region, and we are proud to present our aircrafts to KAC, our strategic partner, which will be our best repre- sentative. We are proud to hold this experimental tour in the sky of Kuwait”. Commenting on the new aircraft he stated, “The A350XWB stands out in its class thanks to its combination of passenger comfort and state of the art technological innovation. What you will experience today is a new dimension of air travel experience”. Alan Pardoe, Head of Marketing Communications for Airbus, deliv- ered a presentation to invited media, A350 XWB into commercial service, rigorous flight tests were performed. “We used 5 flight test airplanes that collectively performed more than 2500 hours of arduous testing to ensure that the airplane is not just efficient but also mature and reliable in its service to airlines and their cus- tomers.” On tour of the aircraft, he drew attention to the flight deck that not only boasts capabilities of advanced navigational precision but also ease of flying with improved flight deck dimensions, built around an arrange- ment of identical, interchangeable large displays. The Airbus A350 XWB MSN 2 aircraft visiting Kuwait is fitted with a two class cabin layout with 42 lie- flat business class seats in a four abreast configuration and 210 econo- my-class 18 inch wide seats set at nine abreast. The aircraft is also fitted with special on-board flight test equipment. Kuwait Airways signed a contract with Airbus to purchase 25 new air- planes; 10 Airbus A350 XWB and 15 Neo A320, which will join the KAC’s fleet in 2020.Speaking to the Arab Times, Kamil Al Awadhi, Chief Operating Officer at KAC, enumerat- ed the airline’s fleet renewal strategy, “We’ve had seven new A320s in our fleet. We have ordered 5 new A330s, the fourth of which arrived this week and the last is expected to arrive by the end of this month. We are looking at 10 Boeing 777s that start arriving from November next year and will be complete within a span of 8 months. We will then start receiving a combi- nation of A320s and A350s upto the year 2022.” Routes He shared that most of the old fleet had been retired, the few that were still in operation are being phased out as upgrades arrive. KAC is also in the process of reviewing its routes struc- ture, “The study is being done by commercial department right now. This might include adding, reducing, strengthening routes or increasing frequencies.” He shared that all aircrafts in its upgraded fleet will help reduce ground time. “Good scheduling will help us to have fast turn arounds, optimise utilisation of the aircrafts. We want to keep the aircrafts flying and on ground as minimum. The new aircrafts give us that ability, they are more reliable and they are designed to turn around a lot faster.” When asked if the Kuwait airport is expanding enough to cope with increasing traffic, he remarked, “Kuwait has tried quite hard to pro- duce the next massive airport to cope with the current increase of about 7 percent traffic per annum. They are moving in the right direction. It has taken more time than airlines would like. But there is now an urgency for the airport to be built at a quicker pace, the airport plan is adequate to handle growth in the next five years.” The event was accompanied with a gathering at the Marina Crescent where huge audience were able to watch the Airbus A350 XWB flying in the sky of Kuwait. aviation
Transcript of Photo by Mohamed Morsi Kuwait Airways welcomes Airbus A350 … · ARAB TIMES, SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8,...
ARAB TIMES, SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2015
4LOCAL
Photo by Mohamed Morsi
Airbus A350 XWB at the Amiri Airport
Photos by Mohamed Morsi
Photos during the event
highlighting core features of theA350 XWB. “The foremost concernof airlines is operational efficiency.Airbus invests large amounts ofmoney in building new airplanes toenable airlines such as KuwaitAirways to enjoy very substantialeconomic benefits with a 25 percentreduction in fuel consumption thancurrent long range airplanes.”
He informed that there are twomodels of the A350 XWB, the A350-
900 that is being built in Toulouse atpresent and the A350-1000, a highercapacity aircraft still in developmentthat will fly next year. “The airplaneis built in Toulouse, in SouthwestFrance at a brand new state of the artfacility that allows us to produce air-planes of the highest quality and asmany as ten each and every monthuntil 2018”, he remarked.
783 orders for the A350 XWBhave been received from 41 countries
so far and Pardoe expects the numberto grow. Until now, ten deliverieshave been made with six to QatarAirways, three to Vietnam Airlinesand one to Finnair. “These deliveriesare continuing and becoming morerapid and more numerous. Soon, theA350 will be seen in the skies aroundthe world”, he said.
Pardoe drew attention to the Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engine, whichoutperforms competitors in terms of
fuel economy, emissions and overallefficiency. He also underscored theall-new fuselage built with carbon-fibre reinforce plastic (CFRP) thatsupports lower fuel burn, easiermaintenance and increased resistanceto corrosion. Additionally, the jetlin-er’s wings are more efficient, quieter,and tailored for maximum aerody-namic efficiency in the various phas-es of flight.
Pardoe explained that to get the
Revolutionary event in the history of air transportation in Kuwait: Al-Roumi
Kuwait Airways welcomes Airbus A350 XWBBy Cinatra Fernandes
Arab Times Staff
KUWAIT CITY, Nov 7: KuwaitAirways hosted the Airbus A350XWB at the Amiri Airport onThursday morning, a precursor to theten aircrafts ordered by KAC thatwill join its upgraded fleet, starting2020. The special event was attendedby popular political and diplomaticpersonalities, representatives fromAirbus, and media.
The A350 XWB is a new genera-tion, extra wide body jetliner, madefrom advanced composite materialsand powered by two new-generationRolls-Royce Trent XWB engines todeliver an operating range of 7600nautical miles.
Rasha Al-Roumi, Chairman andManaging Director of KAC stated,“This event is a crossroad not only inthe history of our Corporation but inthe industry of air transportation inKuwait in general. This is the firsttime ever for the Airbus A350 XWBto land in Kuwait. KAC set a long-term strategy of strengthening itsleading position between the air car-riers in the region and the world. Thiswas behind signing this contract,aiming to inform the Kuwaiti societyabout this new type of airplane thatwill join the fleet of KAC”.
Partnership“On this occasion we should thank
the Airbus, this international compa-ny that have carried millions of pas-sengers around the world onboard ofits aircrafts since it was established.We thank them for their cooperationwith the KAC and this partnership,which is based on their trust in ourservices and reputation. Airbus is aleader of the best aircrafts in theworld, as well as KAC is among theleaders of the airline companies inthe region and the world,” sheremarked.
Al-Roumi informed that KACmade great improvements in itsfleet focusing on safety and securi-ty, in addition to providing highquality maintenance due to its teamof best technicians and trained serv-ice staff. “With announcing thejoining of 25 new Airbus planes toour fleet, we open new bright pagein the history of Kuwait Airwaysthat appreciates the trust of itsclients.”
Fouad Attar, Managing Director,Airbus Middle East, stated “Today,we feel very much honored to bringthe A350 XWB to Kuwait and giveaviation experts a preview of KuwaitAirways’ future fleet. Kuwait is oneof the most important markets in theregion, and we are proud to presentour aircrafts to KAC, our strategicpartner, which will be our best repre-sentative. We are proud to hold thisexperimental tour in the sky ofKuwait”.
Commenting on the new aircraft hestated, “The A350XWB stands out inits class thanks to its combination ofpassenger comfort and state of the arttechnological innovation. What youwill experience today is a newdimension of air travel experience”.
Alan Pardoe, Head of MarketingCommunications for Airbus, deliv-ered a presentation to invited media,
A350 XWB into commercial service,rigorous flight tests were performed.“We used 5 flight test airplanes thatcollectively performed more than2500 hours of arduous testing toensure that the airplane is not justefficient but also mature and reliablein its service to airlines and their cus-tomers.”
On tour of the aircraft, he drewattention to the flight deck that notonly boasts capabilities of advancednavigational precision but also easeof flying with improved flight deckdimensions, built around an arrange-ment of identical, interchangeablelarge displays.
The Airbus A350 XWB MSN 2aircraft visiting Kuwait is fitted witha two class cabin layout with 42 lie-flat business class seats in a fourabreast configuration and 210 econo-my-class 18 inch wide seats set atnine abreast. The aircraft is also fittedwith special on-board flight testequipment.
Kuwait Airways signed a contractwith Airbus to purchase 25 new air-planes; 10 Airbus A350 XWB and 15Neo A320, which will join the KAC’sfleet in 2020.Speaking to the ArabTimes, Kamil Al Awadhi, ChiefOperating Officer at KAC, enumerat-ed the airline’s fleet renewal strategy,“We’ve had seven new A320s in ourfleet. We have ordered 5 new A330s,the fourth of which arrived this weekand the last is expected to arrive bythe end of this month. We are lookingat 10 Boeing 777s that start arrivingfrom November next year and will becomplete within a span of 8 months.We will then start receiving a combi-nation of A320s and A350s upto theyear 2022.”
RoutesHe shared that most of the old fleet
had been retired, the few that werestill in operation are being phased outas upgrades arrive. KAC is also in theprocess of reviewing its routes struc-ture, “The study is being done bycommercial department right now.This might include adding, reducing,strengthening routes or increasingfrequencies.”
He shared that all aircrafts in itsupgraded fleet will help reduceground time. “Good scheduling willhelp us to have fast turn arounds,optimise utilisation of the aircrafts.We want to keep the aircrafts flyingand on ground as minimum. The newaircrafts give us that ability, they aremore reliable and they are designedto turn around a lot faster.”
When asked if the Kuwait airportis expanding enough to cope withincreasing traffic, he remarked,“Kuwait has tried quite hard to pro-duce the next massive airport to copewith the current increase of about 7percent traffic per annum. They aremoving in the right direction. It hastaken more time than airlines wouldlike. But there is now an urgency forthe airport to be built at a quickerpace, the airport plan is adequate tohandle growth in the next five years.”
The event was accompanied with agathering at the Marina Crescentwhere huge audience were able towatch the Airbus A350 XWB flyingin the sky of Kuwait.
aviation
