The first Airbus A350-1000 of the Lufthansa landed at Munich Airport on 11 November 2026. The long-haul aircraft arrived from Airbus’s factory in Toulouse and is set to operate from Munich in future. The airline plans its first scheduled passenger flight to Tokyo Haneda.
The aircraft, registration D-AIFA, touched down on the northern runway in the afternoon. It is named “Deutschland” and has a dark blue special livery featuring a large crane. Munich Airport welcomed the aircraft with water cannons. After landing, it taxied to the maintenance hangar, where it is to be prepared for service.
For Lufthansa, the arrival marks the start of an expansion of its long-haul fleet in Munich. The group has ordered a total of 15 aircraft of this type, according to its own figures. The first ten are to fly for the Lufthansa main brand and be based in Munich. Delivery of the aircraft on order is scheduled to be completed by 2030.
The A350-1000 is the longer version of the A350-900, which Lufthansa already operates. According to the company, it measures 73.80 metres, making it seven metres longer than the smaller model. The new aircraft has room for 300 passengers in four travel classes. There are 49 seats in Business Class, 35 in Premium Economy and 212 in Economy Class. There are also three or four seats in First Class, depending on whether a suite is occupied.
With its new cabin layout, Allegris Lufthansa is offering more options for travellers in higher booking classes. According to the company, the A350-1000 has 40 per cent more seats in Business Class and Premium Economy. The airline is also linking its fleet renewal to its business in lucrative long-haul markets. Whether the anticipated economic benefits materialise will depend, among other things, on how fully the aircraft are used in service.
Following the planned launch with flights to Tokyo Haneda, Lufthansa says that in the coming weeks Shanghai and Singapore will also be served by the new model. The airline announced that it will alternate between the A350-1000 and A350-900 on these routes. For passengers, this means the announcement does not guarantee that the larger type will operate every flight.
Lufthansa puts the reduction in fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions at 25 per cent compared with aircraft from an earlier generation. Such comparisons describe the efficiency of an individual aircraft under certain conditions; they do not, by themselves, mean that total emissions from flight operations will fall by the same amount. The number of flights and how full they are also matter.
According to the group, the new aircraft is the 700th aircraft Airbus has delivered to Lufthansa Group. It is also one of a series of aircraft with special liveries marking the airline’s centenary.
Editor: Daniel Mayer (Article created with AI assistance).