Aircraft

Airbus has removed an order for five A350s from its books, thought to be the original agreement for five pre-XWB aircraft placed by India’s Kingfisher Airlines before it opted for a broader Airbus deal last year.

At the end of June the airframer listed firm orders for 379 A350 XWBs – including a pair of VIP-configured aircraft – from 23 customers. But in a statement during the Farnborough air show Airbus quietly revised this firm order total to 374, without an immediate explanation for the reduction.

Airbus has not specifically identified the customer involved. But a spokesman for Airbus says: “These five aircraft are from the older-generation A350 programme, so we did not include them in the XWB totals at Farnborough. We do, however, hope that they will be upgraded to XWBs – that is, it’s not a cancellation.”

Kingfisher had an order for five pre-XWB versions of the A350 before the carrier agreed at last year’s Paris air show to convert these to XWBs and increase its total commitment to 20, as part of a larger fleet expansion.

The airline’s increased order for 20 A350 XWBs has not yet featured on Airbus’ order books. All other pre-XWB customers have either signed firm orders converting their original commitments to XWB models, or withdrawn. Kingfisher could not immediately be reached to discuss its A350s.

Speaking to ATI during an Emirates event at London Heathrow today, Airbus chief operating officer for customers John Leahy said the Indian market was still undergoing a period of consolidation, but added that he was confident the Kingfisher order for A350 XWBs would be firmed.

Airbus secured orders from five customers for 98 more A350 XWBs at the Farnborough show, and the airframer confirmed the type’s order total stood at 472 aircraft from 27 customers.

Source: flightglobal.com's sister premium news site Air Transport Intelligence news