During the second day of the Singapore Airshow, Airbus secured two more deals for the A350 Freighter, which is a serious competitor to Boeing's market dominance.
Singapore Airlines signed a deal for seven of the aircraft in December, however today they finalized the deal on their home ground.
The first delivery of the aircraft will take place in the fourth quarter of 2025. A 40 percent reduction in fuel consumption will be achieved by using the aircraft as a direct replacement for the Boeing 747-400 Freighters.
“These new-generation aircraft will substantially increase our operating efficiencies and reduce our fuel burn, making an important contribution towards the success of our long-term decarbonisation goals.”
Goh Choon Phong, Chief Executive Officer, Singapore Airlines
If air cargo continues to increase, Singapore Airlines can exercise five more options as part of the deal signed today.
The A350F will be powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines.
During the second day of the show, a letter of intent was signed by Etihad Airways for seven A350 Freighters.
The two newest cargo haulers on the commercial front, the A350 Freighter and the Boeing 777X Freighter, were being looked at by the company to see if they would suit their air cargo and environmental strategy moving forward.
“As our cargo operations continue to overperform and we work towards a more sustainable future built upon the world’s youngest and most fuel-efficient fleet, the addition of the A350F will play a key role in driving our long-term cargo strategy and achieving our 2035 target to reduce CO₂ emissions by 50%.”
Tony Douglas, Group Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Aviation Group
The value of the deal has not been disclosed, but it is believed that the airline will only operate 12 A350 passenger aircraft and seven of the freighter variant once finalized.
In the past, the airline said it would simplify its fleet by focusing on the A350 and Boeing 787-9.
In an effort to take back some of the market share completely dominated by Boeing, the company has been very aggressive with its marketing strategy.
Since launch, the A330-200F has only earned 38 orders. Boeing's 767, 747 and 777 Freighter programs are very popular with airlines and air freight operators, and they are also popular with passenger airline cargo arms.
To counter Boeing's money-printing business, Airbus held discussions with airlines to help develop what would become the A350 Freighter, and so far it seems to be working well.
Air France, Singapore Airlines, and the CMA CGM Group have all been secured by Airbus.
The A350 has proven to be a great success and will likely have a smooth entry- into-service in 2025, thanks to its passenger sibling that has already demonstrated excellent dispatch rates.
The current generation of Boeing 757, 797, and 912 freighters will not be produced in time for the ICAO emissions requirement in the year 2027. Boeing is trying to get an exemption to keep the 767 Freighter in production, however nothing has been locked in yet.
Boeing has not been sitting on their hands. The launch of the A350 Freighter by Boeing resulted in a healthy order from Qatar Airways.
Boeing Launches 777-8 Freighter with Qatar Airways as Launch Customer
The A350 Freighter is powered by the latest generation of engines, while the 777-8F is powered by the older generation of engines.
Both of the new build freights are capable of hauling over 100 tones of freight more than 4,000 nautical miles.
The competition is real and these two freighters of the future will continue to battle it out for decades to come as airlines adjust to upward air cargo trends and environmental regulations.
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