Ten questions about our beloved Airbus A350 aircraft

Our current fleet includes around 80 aircraft, most of which are Airbuses. Our long-haul fleet is one of the most modern fleets in Europe, including 18 Airbus A350s that represent the latest technology. In this article, we deep-dive into the secrets of A350.

Miika Haatio, Director of Fleet Management, has worked at Finnair for 20 years and is currently part of our Fleet team responsible for purchasing, selling, leasing and managing our aircraft lifecycle. Prior to his current role, Miika worked at Finnair Technical Services for 15 years, where he was responsible for, for instance, the introduction and specification of Finnair’s A350 aircraft.

1. When did the first A350 arrive at Finnair, and how many of them does Finnair currently have?

“We took our first Airbus A350, OH-LWA, in use in October 2015. We were among the first airlines in the world to order the aircraft type in 2006, long before it was even in its testing phase.

Initially, the aircraft was supposed to be like an A330neo, an improved version of the A330 with more efficient engines. However, at the request of airlines, Airbus took the aircraft back to the design table and ended up redesigning it from scratch. Ultimately, the Airbus A350 turned out to be a much better aircraft than we had expected when we ordered it. On the other hand, the redesign delayed the completion and delivery of the aircraft.

We currently have 18 Airbus A350 aircraft. The newest one, OH-LWT, arrived in December 2024. The last A350 in our purchase agreement has yet to arrive, and it is scheduled to be ready during the second half of 2026. We initially ordered nine aircraft, but the number has increased over the years."

2. What are the dimensions of the A350?

“A350 is Finnair's largest aircraft. It’s approximately 67 metres long and has a wingspan of about 65 metres. The fuselage diameter is approximately 6 metres, and the height from the ground to the rudder approximately 17 metres. The fuselage is wider than on our A330 aircraft – in Economy Class, the seats are 9-abreast compared to 8-abreast in our A330s.

When empty, the aircraft weighs about 120 tonnes (kilograms), while its take-off weight fully loaded can be about 280 tonnes.”

3. What’s the seating capacity of the A350? And how many pilots operate the aircraft?

“The seating capacity of the A350 is either 278 or 321 passengers. Finnair’s A350 aircraft have two different cabin configurations with different-sized Business Classes: one has 43 Business Class seats, while the other one has 30. Premium Economy Class has a capacity for 24–26 customers.

With the long-haul fleet cabin renewal we launched in 2022 and completed in 2024, all our A350s feature redesigned cabins. With the renewal, we also introduced a completely new travel class – Premium Economy – and you have the innovative AirLounge seat in Business Class.

The number of pilots varies between two and four depending on the flight time. Two pilots operate short flights within Europe, while four pilots are needed for flights to Japan, for instance, as we need to go around the Russian airspace and the flight time gets very long.”

4. How far can the A350 fly? And at which altitude?

“The aircraft has the longest range of Finnair's aircraft; in practice, we could fly from Helsinki to the northern coast of Australia with it. The aircraft's maximum cruising altitude is 13,100 meters, and its cruising speed of 900 km/h is slightly faster than the A330’s.”

5. To which destinations do we usually fly with the A350?

“We typically fly the A350 to destinations that are the furthest away within our route network. In addition, we fly with it to popular destinations that require the most capacity. For example, we fly to Japan and Southeast Asian countries with the A350.

On the other hand, you can also experience the A350 on some of our London flights: We efficiently use the aircraft when it can fly to London and back in the morning, before heading to a long-haul destination in the afternoon or evening. During the winter season 2024–2025, it has also been used on our flights to Gran Canaria, for example.”

6. What are some unique or special features of the A350 compared to Finnair’s other aircraft?

“The cabin air pressure is closer to normal ground air pressure than in our other aircraft types, which increases travel comfort and eases jet lag. The ventilation is also efficient, making the air in the aircraft change often and feel fresher. In addition, the programmable LED mood lighting can be used to create different light scenarios in the aircraft – for example, in the morning, the lighting imitates the sunrise, and when arriving in Helsinki, you can watch the colourful northern lights dancing on the cabin ceiling.”

7. What kind of engines does the A350 aircraft have?

“The aircraft has two Trent XWB-84 engines manufactured by Rolls Royce, with an air intake diameter of approximately 3 meters and a total engine weight of roughly 7 tons (kilograms). The engines are enormous – in fact, some of the largest engines in the world.

Technically, the A350 has performed the best of recent new aircraft types. It has not encountered any significant technical challenges in its engines or elsewhere within the nine years it has been in our service. Thus, the aircraft type and its engines are very reliable!”

8. Does the aircraft have technology that other Finnair aircraft types don’t have?

“The technology in the A350 is the newest in everything possible; for example, the plane’s flight deck has touch screens for pilots. The Airbus A350 is the latest aircraft type that is a ‘clean sheet’ design, meaning that all of the aircraft’s structures, aerodynamics and engines have been optimised specifically for this aircraft, enabling the best available fuel efficiency and the lowest noise levels to an aircraft of this size.

Most of the A350’s fuselage and wings are made of composite materials, and a lot of titanium has also been used in its landing gear and other structures. Composite is a material that is lighter than aluminium, which is typically used in older aircraft types. Titanium, as well, is a relatively light metal and, at the same time, very durable and hard material. When designing aircraft, weight is a significant criterion for all material choices. Aircraft weight impacts fuel burn, so even the smallest parts are made from the lightest possible raw materials.”

9. What do you think our customers don’t know about this aircraft type?

“The Airbus A350 has several new systems that optimise fuel consumption during different phases of the flight. Thus, the A350 has the best fuel efficiency on the market.”

10. You spent three years in Toulouse when Finnair’s first A350 aircraft was being built. Do you have any special memories from the time?

“I lived in Toulouse from 2011 to 2014, when the A350 aircraft type was in the development phase, and Airbus was flying test flights with the first test aircraft, helping its future airline customers prepare for the introduction of the aircraft. I was one of the representatives of six different airlines. Our task was to give Airbus insights on how to make the aircraft even better and what should be considered from an operational perspective.

My core memory from that time is the Airbus employees' pride towards the brand-new A350 aircraft. As a specific moment, I will forever remember watching the first ever test flight of the first test aircraft take off from the edge of the runway.

In 2015, Finnair was the first European airline to start flying the Airbus A350. Worldwide, we were the third airline to operate the A350 in our fleet.”