US aircraft lessor Air Lease is intending to acquire the Airbus A350, at some point, but is yet to be satisfied over the specifications of the twinjet family.
Chief executive Steven Udvar-Hazy says the weight of the type has "crept up" - the precise figure depends on buyer-furnished equipment - and adds: "We're watching that."
Performance guarantees remain an obstacle to an Air Lease commitment for the type, which emerged after Hazy helped sway Airbus away from its original A350 concept.
But while Hazy says the type is likely to find its way into the Air Lease fleet, he adds: "We don't want to be at the front of that programme."
He expects Airbus to introduce a weight-saving scheme for the A350.
Hazy says his attention is primarily on the A350-900 and -1000, highlighting Airbus's efforts to promote the larger family members particularly to -800 customers - adding that the smallest member of the family seems to be "fading into the sunset".
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
