Qatar Airways is to take delivery of its first Airbus A350-900 in Toulouse on 13 December, about a month before it enters service on the Doha-Frankfurt route.

The Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-powered aircraft is the first of 43 of the type ordered by the Middle Eastern carrier.

Qatar Airways also has 37 A350-1000s on order.

Chief executive Akbar Al Baker says: "Arrival of this new generation of aircraft type represents a moment of great symbolic national pride for the state of Qatar.

"I know its delivery will be met with excitement at its new home, Hamad International Airport, which was built for advanced aircraft types such as this.”

Qatar Airways' reservations system indicates that the aircraft will be deployed to Frankfurt on 15 January 2015.

Source: Cirium Dashboard