FlightGlobal
• David Kaminski-Morrow
Airbus has completed the first A350F freighter’s paint job and unveiled its parcel-themed test-aircraft livery, selected after a competition that drew 4,000 design entries. The aircraft is preparing for a first flight expected in late September or early October, while the second A350F is nearing completion without engines.
Airbus A350
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Airbus has completed the first A350F freighter’s paint job and unveiled its parcel-themed test-aircraft livery, selected after a competition that drew 4,000 design entries. The aircraft is preparing for a first flight expected in late September or early October, while the second A350F is nearing completion without engines.
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JAL and ANA are coordinating timetables on a small domestic route under a Japanese regulatory framework opened in May, while Korean Air plans three weekly Seoul–Melbourne flights from Dec. 18, 2026, through March 14, 2027, using Boeing 787-9s and replacing Asiana’s former service.
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Airbus is preparing to fly the A350F for the first time in the third week of September 2026, according to industry sources cited by Reuters, bringing the delayed freighter toward its certification campaign. The schedule remains tentative and could slip into early October.
STARLUX Airlines has launched its first European route, connecting Taipei Taoyuan and Prague three times weekly with Airbus A350-900 aircraft. The Taiwanese carrier plans to increase the service to four flights per week from October, with GLSHK’s EzyCustoms platform supporting the new operation.
The first Airbus A350F freighter delivery could move from late 2027 into 2028, according to Leeham News, introducing uncertainty around the program’s entry-into-service schedule. Airbus has nevertheless reaffirmed its late-2027 timeline, leaving the delivery outlook unresolved.
Air France-KLM is extending the amortization period for its Airbus A320neo, A321neo and A350 fleets, as well as Boeing 787s, from 20 to 25 years. The group said the longer period reflects its assessment that these aircraft are most likely to remain in service for 25 years.
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Airbus booked 204 gross commercial aircraft orders in July, led by leasing deals with Chinese companies, while deliveries reached 67 jets to 39 customers. Year-to-date deliveries rose to 418, but the pace remains below last year and the first A350F delivery has slipped to late 2027.
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The FAA is ordering inspections of nearly 500 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft for possible cracks in fuselage or door-related structural components, while proposing action to address a Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 issue that could lead to dual-engine uncontained failures on the 787. Spanish-language reports also cite seat-anchor inspections on 453 MAX aircraft.
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