STARLUX Welcomes Its First-Ever Airbus A350

DALLAS - STARLUX Airlines (JX) took delivery of its first Airbus A350-900 at Toulouse (TLS) earlier today.

The brand-new jet is set for its maiden journey and is expected to touch down at Taipei's Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) at 15:00 tomorrow October 29. Chairman of STARLUX, K.W. Chang, and CEO Glenn Chai were present at Toulouse during the delivery ceremony and will fly back home aboard this premium A350.

“This delivery is a milestone for STARLUX Airlines. The A350-900 is our first large widebody aircraft, which will allow STARLUX to open markets for longer routes, and this also marks the next step in our partnership with Airbus, with 17 more A350s deliveries in the future. With the addition of the A350-900, the STARLUX fleet can now cover short, mid, and long-range flights, providing service to passengers outside Asia,” said STARLUX Chairman.

Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Airbus International, said, “With an all-new generation, all-Airbus fleet, STARLUX is bringing new levels of comfort and efficiency to the premium market. As the flagship aircraft in this fleet, the A350-900 will carry the airline’s brand on its longest routes as it opens up to new markets. We wish the airline every success as it spreads its wings to more destinations across the world.”

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A Premium A350

The first of eighteen, B-58501 will feature a vibrant four-class configuration. Yes, a first-class cabin is present. The split would make four seats in First, 26 in Business, 36 in Premium Economy, and 240 in Economy. Glamour and glitz have always been part of these Taiwanese carriers. The new first class is nothing short of this.

Built with a 60-inch door wall giving the passengers a secluded feeling with a personal wardrobe to store their stuff and each seat is equipped with a 32-inch 4K screen.

First and Business class seats can convert into a fully lie-flat bed, and also come with a “zero gravity” feature that takes comfort to another level. Business class will host a 4K resolution with a 24-inch screen. Premium Economy Class and Economy Class passengers can enjoy 4K quality on a 15.6-inch screen or a 13-inch screen, respectively. Bluetooth connectivity for headsets is available in all classes.

A first for an A350, the STARLUX ones will feature the latest electrically dimmable windows, blocking 99.99% of visible light, switching twice the speed of the previous generation. Besides, it's also the first airline to install dynamic semi-luminous panels on an A350.

Starlux's A350 Routes

Where would the A350 fly to? Come 2023, the new XWB will initially make trips to Asian gateways before it makes its cross-pacific journey to Los Angeles (LAX) in April 2023.

Well, it wasn't just the A350 welcoming at Toulouse but also an A321neo. After adding the newbies, the fleet count stands at eleven A321neo, four A330neo, and one A350-900 aircraft. A couple of A321neos and another A350 will also make it to the fleet by year's end.

Featured Image: STARLUX