Starlux Airlines adjusted its orders for Airbus A350 aircraft, swapping several units of the larger variant of the model for its smaller sibling. The airline’s original order consisted of twelve A350-1000s and six A350-900s, which would be used on its routes to North America.
However, during the publication of the latest orders on the official Airbus website, industry observers noted that all of Starlux’s orders have changed and are now for the A350-900, while the twelve A350-1000s originally contracted disappeared.
As reported by UDN, a company spokesperson stated that «After internal discussions, we decided to order only the smaller variant. The A350-1000s were not canceled but their future will depend on the performance of our routes.»
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The planning and operation of its fleet are crucial to the success or failure of airlines. Companies always carefully evaluate various factors such as routes, network layout, aircraft performance, acquisition prices, staff training, and subsequent maintenance.
Starlux began flying to Los Angeles last week and plans to introduce other U.S. destinations in the near future. The airline plans to add an operation to the continent approximately every six to eight months, for a total of six or seven.
While the A350-1000 holds forty more passengers than the A350-900, its list price is $49 million higher. Starlux said it will «discuss with Airbus to keep the price within a reasonable range. While the aircraft are scheduled for delivery in 2026-2027, we are excited about the possibility of taking delivery sooner.»
