In May of this year, Nadi based carrier Fiji Airways placed an order for two aircraft that would help modernise their fleet and be able to carry for passengers with a much more economical and environmentally friendly aircraft. The airline ordered 2 Airbus A350-900’s and they have recently taken delivery of this aircraft, two days ago to be exact.
As the airline purchased them through DAE, which is a Dubai based aviation company, it was only fitting that it got to spend some time at the Dubai Airshow, which is currently in its third day.
On the first day of the show, it was very busy with onboard tours, so I held off and got a heap of exterior images, but on the second day, I got an opportunity to look inside and took it.
Fiji Airways A350
As much as I miss the old Air Pacific paint, Fiji Airways have a fantastic looking livery, and I think it suits the A350 extremely well.
Fiji Airways A350
The tail and engine cowlings just look fantastic!
Fiji Airways A350
The small detail on the winglets is also very nice with Fiji written on each one.
Fiji Airways A350
Walking around and seeing these aircraft up close never fails to amaze and it’s something I think I’ll never get tired of doing, if you haven’t been to an airshow before, I would really recommend attending one. Not only is it a great chance to look at these machines but also meet and talk to likeminded people that are also very passionate about the industry.
Fiji Airways A350
When I first saw the PR photos of the business cabin, to me it looked a little plain and lacking of any real colour but seeing it up close changed my mind. Yes, it’s not going to be as full of colour like China Airlines’, but it’s a sleek and modern looking interior – the pillows, blankets and the headrest cover really give it that Fiji feel.
Business Class
It was explained that the cabins are closely matched to the crew uniforms which makes a lot of sense, the consistency as a brand is all there, I quite liked that idea and think it suits well.
Fiji Airways A350
There are 33 Collins Aerospace Super Diamond seats fitted in the business cabin and each seat has a pitch of 44” and a width of 22”. I’m a huge fan of this seat, and it still remains my favourite business product, I’m excited to fly on the Fiji A350 hopefully at the start of next year.
Business Class
The seat features quite a generous amount of storage, better than some other airlines with the same seat, which is nice to see.
Business Class
And here is the economy section of the A350. When touring the plane, I was quite impressed with the amount of legroom the Bula Space seats have, especially those bulkheads which will be extremely popular on the Los Angeles services.
Economy Class
Another thing my friend Jacob picked up on was how plush the pillow was in the economy cabin; it was dense which is something not too many airlines seem to be able to get right – good work Fiji!
Economy Class
There is a total of 39 Bulla Space seats in the aircraft, and they’re all located in the front section of the economy cabin.
Economy Class
The standard economy seats in the aircraft feature a pitch of 31-34” and a width of 18-inches.
Economy Class
Fiji Airways’ A350 will sadly depart Dubai today, but it’s actually headed to Brisbane before heading back to Nadi. Fiji Airways pushed forward their first flight to December 1st which will operate to Sydney, there isn’t too much information as to when the United States will see the aircraft, but I couldn’t imagine it’ll be too far away.
What is your opinion on the Fiji Airways new A350-900?