‍DALLAS — On September 25, 2024, Emirates’ (EK) first-ever A350-900 variant completed its maiden flight.

After numerous delays, the new flagship finally took off to the skies for the first time. The aircraft is registered under the callsign F-WZGA and will soon be changed to A6-EXA once it joins the EK fleet.

The airliner is still in Toulouse-Blagnac Airport (TLS) at Airbus facilities undergoing numerous ground and flight tests, such as rejected take-off and taxying tests.

The recent flight test took place in Metropolitan France. It included a short cruise above the Atlantic Ocean, with a total flight time of 3 hours and 55 minutes. The aircraft flew on different flight levels, with FL430 being the maximum altitude reached that day.

The First Among Many

This first aircraft is among Emirates’ total orders of 65 A350-900s. The Dubai-based company ordered 50 units in 2019 before adding 15 aircraft at the Dubai Airshow in 2023. The company expects 10 A350s to join its fleet by the end of March 2025.

These aircraft will have a three-class configuration with a total seat capacity 312. 32 seats will be next-generation Business Class, 21 seats in Premium Economy, and 259 generously pitched Economy class seats.

Adnan Kazim, Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer of Emirates, said, “The A350 will be a game-changer for Emirates, enabling us to serve regional points with superior operating efficiency and flexibility across the Middle East and GCC, West Asia and Europe. With the latest generation cabin products, including more of our sought-after Premium Economy to more cities, top-notch in-flight entertainment technologies, and an abundance of other customer-friendly features, the Emirates A350 builds on our long-standing commitment to investing in the very best customer experience in the sky".

The Emirati company has already announced its first A350 destinations. Starting with the Middle East and West Asia, the aircraft will fly to Bahrain, Kuwait, Muscat, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and Colombo. The remaining destinations are focused on the European market, mainly Lyon, Bologna, and Edinburgh.

The Scottish capital will be EK's first destination to be served with the new aircraft, with its maiden commercial flight scheduled on November 4, 2024.