The first Airbus A350 XWB aircraft for Vietnam Airlines rolled out of the body paint shop in Toulouse, France on March 6, featuring a polished blue exterior and the signature golden lotus flower on the tail.

The airplane has entered the final stages of construction as its engines are to be fitted and the interior will be installed shortly before conducting ground and test flights. It is expected to join the fleet in mid-2015.

Vietnam’s national-flagship carrier is the second carrier worldwide and the first in the Asia Pacific owning both new-generation Boeing 787 and Airbus A350.

The airline will operate 14 Airbus A350 XWB planes, including ten purchased from Airbus and four leased.

It plans to deploy its A350 XWB fleet for long-distance flights, beginning with services from Hanoi to Paris.

The A350 XWB is Airbus’s latest generation wide body jetliner, offering a unique passenger experience.

By the end of January 2015, some 780 A350 XWBs had been ordered by 40 clients across the globe.

The most modern aircraft in the world of Vietnam Airlines:

The first A350 XWB aircraft of the national carrier Vietnam Airlines has left the Airbus paint factory with its exclusive logo and color.         Along with Boeing B787 - 9, Vietnam Airlines will receive the world’s most modern A350 XWB aircraft and become the first airline in Asia to receive both aircraft brand at the same time.   On March 6, in Toulouse, France, the first A350 XWB aircraft of Vietnam Airlines left the Airbus paint factory with its Golden Lotus logo and characteristic blue color.   This aircraft is being completed before being handed over to Vietnam Airlines. This phase includes installing the motors and completing the interior design, followed by the ground and flight test.     Vietnam Airlines will receive the aircraft in mid-2015. This is the first of 14 Airbus A350 aircraft that Vietnam Airlines has ordered from now until 2019, of which four will be delivered this year.           The cockpit for two pilots is spacious and comfortable.         This aircraft is worth $340 million.         The airline will operate a fleet of A350 XWB on long routes, firstly the Hanoi-Paris flight.

Tri Thuc Tre/VNE/VNN