Edelweiss Air has taken delivery of the first of six Airbus A350-900 aircraft. It’s the first such aircraft with Swiss registration (HB-IBF), and it landed at Zurich Airport (ZRH) after embarking from Lourdes Airport (LDE). Following a pre-planned go-around, the plane took a celebratory lap of the airport before landing at 3:13 p.m. Once on the tarmac, the aircraft was greeted with a water salute by fire engines from the Zurich Protection & Rescue Service. Once stopped, it was welcomed by over 100 employees and the Edelweiss management team.
The Airbus A350-900 offers state-of-the-art technology and comfort
The A350-900 gives Edelweiss the latest in technology, efficiency, and comfort. It’s among the most fuel-efficient wide-body aircraft made, made possible by advanced engines and lightweight materials. Compared to Edelweiss’ current A340-300s, the A350 burns 25% less fuel and produces 25% less CO2. It also produces up to 50% less noise. Edelweiss Air’s new A350s will offer seating for 339, up from the A340-300’s 314. Edelweiss has six A350-900s on order, with the current A340-300s fully replaced by mid-2027. That’ll bring the airline’s long-haul fleet back to its pre-pandemic level of six aircraft.
The A350-900s cabin also offers a place to relax and unwind at 35,000 feet. The “Airspace” cabin is especially quiet, letting passengers read, rest, or view content without distraction. Those with window seats are in for a treat, with panoramic windows offering a wide-open view of the surroundings.
Edelweiss Air’s new A350-900 will be used for crew training before entering service on April 1. Then, it’ll fly passengers between Zurich Airport (ZRH) and Tenerife South Airport in Spain (TFS), a trip of 1,655 nautical miles. Once in Tenerife, it’ll again be used for crew training purposes and won’t fly there again for the rest of 2025.
The latest information shows Edelweiss will use the A350 between Zurich and 20 global airports in 2025. 13 of those will be long-haul destinations.
