On Thursday, the Brazilian carrier Azul Linhas Aéreas (AD) operated the inaugural flight with its first Airbus A350-900 aircraft on the 14th birthday of the company. Azul employed this widebody jetliner, registration PR-AOY, in a commercial flight between Viracopos International Airport (VCP) in the Brazilian State of São Paulo and Orlando International Airport (MCO).
All welcome onboard
Azul found a unique way to celebrate its fourteenth birthday – by launching the first flight of the largest passenger aircraft in its fleet, the Airbus A350. The plane is operating flight AZU8706 between Campinas and Orlando. It departed from the Brazilian airport at 09:39 local time and is expected to land in the United States at 15:39 local time.
The Brazilian carrier is not only celebrating its fourteenth birthday. Azul said it is also the eighth anniversary of the Campinas-Orlando route. John Rodgerson, CEO of the company, added,
“Performing the first flight with the A350 departing from Viracopos is another milestone in Azul's history. This is our largest and most modern passenger aircraft and will bring even more comfort to our customers' trips. In the next year, our network should grow, and, with this, we will recover 100% of our international capacity.”
A few days ago, Azul received its second Airbus A350. This aircraft, currently F-WTAK and soon-to-be-registered PR-AOW, will be operating commercial flights for the airline in the coming weeks. The airline expects to receive two additional A350s in 2023.
Azul’s newest aircraft?
The Brazilian carrier received its first A350 earlier this year, five years after it was supposed to take it. The delivery was postponed, and Airbus delivered the brand-new A350s to Hainan Airlines, a Chinese carrier that, at the time, was a shareholder in Azul. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Hainan withdrew its investment in Azul and took the A350 fleet out of operation. Now, these widebody planes have found their way back to their original owner.
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Azul’s A350 is configured to carry 334 passengers. It has 301 economy class seats (102 Economy Extra and 199 Economy seats) and 33 executive class seats. The aircraft is baptized as “50 também é Azul,” which can be translated to 50 is also blue.
The airline has promised its customers they will be more comfortable onboard the Airbus A350. The cabin is quieter and broader, has wider panoramic windows, and more space in the luggage compartments. Passengers in the business section will have seats with direct aisle access and personalized meal options.
Azul’s diverse fleet
Azul has the most diverse fleet in the Latin American and Caribbean region. The Brazilian airline operates Airbus, ATR, Boeing, Cessna, and Embraer-made aircraft. Overall, it has 165 planes and expects to take delivery of 85 additional jets in coming years.
Azul has 64 Airbus aircraft, including 44 A320neo, six A321neo, seven A330-200s, five A330-900s (a month ago, it was announced Azul will take on three more of this type), and two A350-900s. The airline has 38 ATR 72-600 and expects to receive five additional turboprops. Azul also has two Boeing 737-400(F) employed in its cargo division. Finally, the carrier has 62 Embraer planes, including 51 Embraer E190-E1s and 11 Embraer E2s. Azul expects to receive 53 additional E2s in the coming years.
Would you like to travel onboard Azul’s new Airbus A350 fleet? Let us know in the comments below.
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Azul
- IATA/ICAO Code:
- AD/AZU
- Airline Type:
- Low-Cost Carrier
- Hub(s):
- Belo Horizonte International Airport, Sao Paulo Viracopos International Airport, Recife/Guararapes International Airport
- Year Founded:
- 2008
- CEO:
- John Rodgerson
- Country:
- Brazil
- Region:
- South America
