China Airlines will retrofit its Airbus A350s with “all-new” cabin products, with the first upgraded widebody to enter service in 2027.
The Taiwanese operator signed an agreement with Airbus on 9 December, covering the integration and technical services for the cabin upgrade. The airframer will assist in the cabin retrofit programme in areas such as the “installation and certification of seating in all cabin classes, and the design of cabin facilities”.
The retrofit programme is expected to be completed in 2028, and will cover China Airlines’ fleet of 15 A350-900s.
While the airline did not reveal details, it says the new cabin “will feature the same Oriental aesthetic of the current cabins, creating an emotional connection with travellers while strengthening the China Airlines brand”.
“To provide travelers with up-to-date cabin facilities and a uniform flying experience across all fleets, China Airlines will take existing fleet planning, traveller feedback, industry developments, and craft aesthetics into account to overhaul the seating in all cabin classes, the in-flight entertainment system, the onboard network, and the cabin environment,” the SkyTeam operator adds.
China Airlines took delivery of its first A350-900 in 2016. The A350 fleet is configured in a three-class layout of 306 seats, with 32 in business class, 31 in premium economy class, as well as 243 in economy class.
The type is mainly deployed to the airline’s European network, covering cities such as London, Rome, Amsterdam and Vienna. China Airlines also operates the type to Australia and New Zealand, a small number of North America points, as well as regionally to Southeast Asia and Japan.
China Airlines is the latest Asia-Pacific carrier to undertake a cabin retrofit programme: other operators such as Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines have already announced plans to refurbish their widebody aircraft.
