Double dose of new Airbus aircraft on show in Australia

Two Airbus aircraft will make their Australian debut in the next week, including one under consideration by Qantas.

Cathay Pacific’s Airbus A350-1000

Two Airbus aircraft will make their Australian debut in the next week, including one under consideration by Qantas for the airline’s groundbreaking Project Sunrise flights.

Cathay Pacific will operate the first A350-1000 flight into Australia on Sunday, when it lands in Melbourne from Hong Kong.

From Monday the aircraft will also fly out of Perth to Hong Kong, carrying 334 passengers across its business, premium economy and economy cabins, 54 more passengers than the A350-900.

The interior of a new Airbus A350-1000 on a long test flight. Picture: P Pigeyre

Described as the world’s most advanced aircraft, the A350-1000 is 74m long and has a range of 16,100km, which makes it capable of flying non-stop from Sydney to New York.

Just over 30 of the aeroplanes have been delivered, out of 180 on order.

Cathay Pacific has 12 in its fleet, Qatar Airways has 10, and Virgin Atlantic and Etihad Airways four each.

READ MORE: Qantas takes domestic hit

Qantas is considering ordering the A350-1000 for its planned ultra-long-haul services between Australia’s east coast and New York and London.

Final tenders have been submitted to the airline from Airbus, and Boeing, which has pitched its under-development 777X-8s for the services. A decision is expected to be made by Qantas by year’s end.

Flight controls inside a cockpit on an Airbus A350-1000 aircraft. PHOTO: SEONGJOON CHO

Airbus will showcase another new aircraft in Australia on Tuesday as part of a demonstration tour of the Pacific region.

The A220-300 is billed as the only aircraft purpose-built for the 100 to 150-seat market, with ­“unbeatable fuel efficiency and superior passenger comfort in a single-aisle aeroplane”.

To date, more than 400 orders have been placed for the A220-300, with 56 delivered to airlines including airBaltic, Egypt Air, Korean Air and Air Tan­zania.

As yet no Australian carriers have lodged orders, but representatives of Regional Express, QantasLink and Virgin Australia are expected to take part in next week’s demonstration flight in Sydney.