China Southern Airlines (CZ, Guangzhou) has taken delivery of its first of twenty A350-900s due from Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac). B-308T (msn 318) was ferried from Toulouse Blagnac to Guangzhou on Saturday, June 28, ahead of its deployment into service on Monday, July 1, on the Guangzhou-Beijing Capital route.
The twin-engine jets feature 314 seats in a three-class configuration including 28 business class seats, 24 Pearl Economy seats, and 262 economy class seats. It will initially be deployed on trunk routes between Guangzhou and each of Beijing and Shanghai Hongqiao before entering the intercontinental market.
According to its FY2018 statements, China Southern expects to receive six A350s in 2019, six in 2020, four in 2021, and four in 2022.
China Southern's other orders include eighty-one outstanding A320neo, twenty-six A321neo, fifty-six B737-8s, ten B787-9s, and twenty C919s.
