Cathay Pacific Expects First Airbus A350 Delivery in Late April

China Aviation Daily 

Cathay Pacific's A350 in its new livery.

Cathay Pacific Airways is now expected to take delivery of its first Airbus A350 XWB in late April, due to a cabin product issue, the airline admits in its latest staff newsletter.


"The Cathay team is working closely with Airbus and the product supplier to minimize the risk of any further delays."

The A350's business berths are made by Zodiac Aerospace, which has been struggling to meet delivery schedules.
Delays aside, Cathay Pacific's A350-900 will no doubt take center stage when the airline celebrates its 70th anniversary later in the year.

After several months of regional familiarization operations from Hong Kong to Bangkok, Manila, Osaka, Singapore and Taipei, Cathay Pacific will deploy the A350 jet onto longer-range international routes to Europe.
Besides, London's Gatwick Airport has already been confirmed as an A350 route starting September 2, with Auckland confirmed for the second half of the year.

Cathay Pacific has 22 A350-900s and 26 A350-1000s on order. The airline is due to take delivery of 12 A350-900ss this year and ten more in 2017, to be followed by 26 of the larger and longer-range A350-1000s from 2018.