Taiwan’s Starlux doubles Airbus A350F order
Starlux has placed an additional order for five A350Fs, Airbus’ new long-haul freighter. The new deal doubles the Taiwanese carrier’s total order, which had originally secured an order in February 2024.
The Taipei-based carrier currently does not operate pure-cargo aircraft, but is expected to take advantage of the strong demand for air cargo in the region to seek to increase its revenue in this segment.
“The cargo market is set to become a key element in our business model and will benefit from the advantages offered by Taiwan’s geographical location,” said Starlux CEO Glenn Chai.
Founded in 2018, Starlux debuted passenger flights in 2020 and currently has 26 jets in its fleet, all supplied by Airbus. There are 13 A321neo, five A330-900 and eight A350-900.
With the new agreement, the A350F already has at least 60 aircraft on order. Until November, Airbus indicated 55 orders, but the total may increase after the release of the December report.
The A350F was launched by Airbus to take advantage of the entry into force of the new ICAO emissions standards in 2027, which will end the production of jets such as the Boeing 767F and 777F.
Using a fuselage of intermediate length between the A350-900 and the A350-1000, the new freighter will be able to transport up to 111 tons over distances of 4,700 nm (8,700 km).
According to Airbus, the A350F will offer a 40% reduction in fuel consumption and carbon emissions compared to previous-generation aircraft.
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