Iberia unveiled its 16th Airbus A350-900, bearing the registration EC-NXC, with the particularity that it is the first aircraft with a completely renovated passenger cabin. According to the airline, it will be equipped with technology and design that will allow better customer comfort for its three classes (Business, Premium Economy and Economy).
The company expects to receive four additional aircrafts with the same design, allowing it to operate at hot & high airports with greater efficiency.
In response to the entry of the new twin-engines, Iberia permanently retired its Airbus A340-600s at the end of 2020, thus deprogramming its last four-engine aircraft. With the A350, the operator gains in efficiency: in addition to being one of the quietest aircraft on the market, it is more fuel efficient and emits between 30% and 35% less carbon dioxide.
In addition, the entry of the new aircraft will provide a greater offer of seats and frequencies to the most popular destinations. In fact, the company recently increased to 3 daily flights to Mexico City (MEX) and announced the increase of services to Bogota (BOG), Colombia, and Lima (LIM), Peru.
Airbus A350 exterior changes
The first A350 joined Iberia in 2018, which was also the first of a new production standard, and now the airline is once again responsible for the launch of this A350 which includes low-speed performance improvements.
Specifically, Iberia’s new A350s have new flap positions that allow the pilot to select the optimum configuration for each take-off; and the landing gear retraction is faster, allowing the aircraft to reach a configuration with less aerodynamic drag sooner.
In addition, the aircraft’s empty weight has been reduced at the factory through structural improvements and lighter equipment, which increases its efficiency and also contributes significantly to improving its performance at the most operationally demanding airports, known colloquially as hot & high, such as El Dorado (BOG) in Bogota and Mexico City (MEX).
New Cabins
With the incorporation of this new generation of A350 aircraft, Iberia is also launching a new product. Among the new features highlighted by the company are greater privacy, spaciousness, and new lighting. In addition, improved connectivity, and in-flight entertainment.
To get to know the interiors of the new cabin, Iberia has launched a tour on its website, available at this link.
Business
For the first time, Iberia will offer a private business class, where each seat will have a separate structure and door. All seats in this class will have direct access to the aisle, and the central seats – known as honeymoon seats – will have an automatic divider.
The seats have a wood finish, articulated leather headrests and more space for personal items. It becomes a fully lie-flat bed, which is now five centimeters longer, and each seat number is projected onto the aisle, making it easier to locate when the cabin is dark at rest.
Premium Economy
This class also now offers more privacy, thanks to the enveloping structure of the seat, which also incorporates articulated headrests that fold and adjust on both sides of the head. As a new feature, the seat includes a remote control for in-flight entertainment with a touch-screen navigation panel and specific gamming functionalities.
Economy
Economy seats are one centimeter wider, maintaining the same number of seats per row as on their other A350s. As in Premium Economy, the headrests are hinged, folding, and adjusting to either side of the head. In addition, the in-flight entertainment screens have been expanded from 10 to 12 inches, and will incorporate a stand to support and charge personal electronic devices.
Improvements to the in-flight entertainment system, cabin ambience and restrooms
The new Airbus A350-900s will come with a revamped in-flight entertainment system, which Iberia has developed in collaboration with Panasonic named IFE Next.
According to the manufacturer, it incorporates a more modern, interactive, and intuitive design. Its platform uses the most advanced technological system in the industry, and the screens offer 4K resolution that protects the eyesight and incorporate night lighting to avoid disturbing other passengers nearby.
In addition, the new A350s feature larger screens in both Premium Economy (12 to 13 inches) and Economy (10 to 12 inches).
Business and Premium Economy seats have a secondary screen, located at the bottom, which is activated to transmit crew messages without interfering with the playback of content.
One of the main new features of the new entertainment system is that it allows Bluetooth pairing of personal wireless headphones in all seats and cabins. The usual in-flight headphones will continue to be available (noise cancelling in Business and Premium Economy cabins) for those customers who do not have their own or prefer those provided by Iberia.
In addition, each seat has USB A and C connectors and universal power sockets for customers to charge their devices.
This new generation A350 has 6 different lighting environments -wake up, meal, relax, sleep, boarding, and take-off and landing-, which provide the appropriate lighting for each moment of the journey in all cabins.
In the toilets, the taps are touch-free and the linings are made of antibacterial materials that improve hygiene in these spaces.
