Airbus (OTCPK:EADSF) (OTCPK:EADSY) is again weighing whether to build a larger variant of its A350 widebody, a move revived by renewed interest in high-capacity twin-engine jets at the Dubai Airshow. Christian Scherer, head of Airbus’s commercial aircraft unit, said the company is revisiting a stretch option as airlines signal demand for more seats on long-haul routes, Reuters reported Monday.
The renewed discussion emerged just after Boeing (BA) said it may also develop a longer version of its delayed 777X family, following a 65-jet order from Emirates. The two manufacturers have explored these concepts before: Boeing (BA) once examined a 777-10X, while Airbus (OTCPK:EADSF) (OTCPK:EADSY) previously floated an A350-2000 as a potential rival to the 400-seat 777-9.
Scherer said several carriers have encouraged Airbus (OTCPK:EADSF) (OTCPK:EADSY) to examine a stretch because they believe a larger A350 could support their growth plans. The study also intersects with work on improving the A350-1000’s performance in hot-weather regions, where engines can wear more quickly.
Airbus (OTCPK:EADSF) (OTCPK:EADSY) has had difficulty securing A350-1000 sales from Emirates, which criticized maintenance demands on the jet’s Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines at the 2023 Dubai Airshow and instead ordered the smaller A350-900.
Rolls-Royce (OTCPK:RYCEF) (OTCPK:RYCEY) is now investing in upgrades, and Scherer said the improvements should address Emirates’ concerns while also creating room for a possible higher-capacity model. He stressed that Airbus still aims to win future business from the airline.
The debate echoes the rivalry sparked more than a decade ago when Boeing (BA) first unveiled plans for the 777X, a program that has since faced significant delays. Today, Boeing promotes the 777X’s economics, driven partly by GE Aerospace’s (GE) GE9X engines and the aircraft’s carbon-fiber wing. Airbus (OTCPK:EADSF) (OTCPK:EADSY) counters that Boeing’s (BA) cost argument depends on packing in more seats to offset the A350’s lighter, more efficient airframe.
Scherer argued that the A350’s composite structure would deliver even greater efficiency if scaled up to a larger jet. Analysts note that engine capability will be central to any such project; GE’s GE9X is widely considered to have greater thrust headroom than the current Rolls-Royce XWB family, Reuters reported.