Qatar Airways will deploy its A350 XWB to Philadelphia, the first US destination to feature the new aircraft.
The daily A350 service will begin from January 2016, coinciding with the launch of the carrier’s flights to Los Angeles – one of three new Qatar Airways destinations in the US next year.
The airline also announced plans to deploy the A350 to existing New York and Boston services from early March 2016.
“We are very pleased to announce the launch of our first A350 service to the United States. Philadelphia is the sixth-largest metropolitan area in the US and is an important international business hub that is home to seven Fortune 1000 companies,” said Qatar Airways group chief executive Akbar Al Baker.
According to the Gulf carrier, flying a long-haul service to Philadelphia – which it calls “a key business and leisure destination and one of the busiest airports in the US” – will allow it to maximise the efficiency and performance of the A350.
The A350 replaces the B777-200LR currently operating the route, and its deployment will result in a 9 per cent capacity increase over the Boeing aircraft.
Qatar Airways configures its A350 with a two-class configuration that includes 36 seats in business class in a 1-2-1 configuration, and 247 in economy with a 3-3-3 layout. All premium seats offer direct aisle access, come with 17-inch HD screens, and are capable of turning into fully flat horizontal beds.
For more information, visit qatarairways.com
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