Silk Way West Airlines orders two more Airbus A350Fs
The new order for two additional A350Fs brings the carrier’s total A350F orders to four.
Silk Way West Airlines, based in Baku, Azerbaijan, has signed a firm order for two additional A350F freighters. This agreement, which brings the airline’s total A350F orders to four, strengthens its ongoing fleet modernisation and expansion strategy.
The airline had earlier signed a purchase agreement with Airbus for two A350 freighters in June 2022, with deliveries planned for 2027–2028.
“We are delighted to extend our partnership with Airbus on the A350F programme. This order, bringing our total commitment to four aircraft, marks a major milestone in our company’s growth and reflects our confidence in the future of sustainable air freight. The A350F will strengthen our leading position in the global air freight market as we continue to modernise our fleet and reduce our carbon footprint,” says Wolfgang Meier, President, Silk Way West Airlines.
“This repeat order from Silk Way West Airlines, the largest cargo airline in the Caspian Sea region, is a great vote of confidence at a time when the A350F is physically taking shape in our assembly lines. The A350F will ensure the airline maintains its leading position in the global air freight market and further enables its key role in developing Azerbaijan as a major global cargo hub at the heart of the Silk Road,” says Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, EVP Sales of the Commercial Aircraft business, Airbus.
The A350F features the largest main deck cargo door in the industry, with its fuselage length and capacity optimised for standard pallets and containers. More than 70% of the airframe is made from advanced materials, contributing to a take-off weight that is 46 tonnes lighter than competing derivatives. The A350F is also the only freighter designed to fully meet the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) enhanced CO2 emissions standards coming into effect in 2027. The first A350F has reached major assembly milestones and exited the main assembly station.
The A350F can carry a payload of up to 111 tonnes and will fly up to 4,700 nautical miles / 8,700 kilometres. Powered by the latest Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines, the aircraft will bring a reduction in fuel consumption and carbon emissions of up to 40% when compared to previous generation aircraft with a similar payload-range capability. The A350F will be able to operate with up to 50% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) at entry-to-service, with the aim for 100% capability by 2030, as with all Airbus aircraft.
