Emirates' Clark still unsure about A350-1000

Emirates Airline President Tim Clark remains skeptical about the Airbus A350's operating performance, and is particularly leery about the A350-1000.

Clark has previously said that, according to the airline's calculations, the -1000 needs a 105,000 lb. thrust engine to truly leapfrog the Boeing 777-300ER, which means a new fan and significant wing pylon and undercarriage modifications (ATW, Aug. 1). In an interview last week in Vienna, he told ATW that the A350-900, which will be deployed on 85% of the routes EK plans to utilize the A350, "will be a fine aircraft."

But he does not shy away from expressing his displeasure with the A350-1000 performance parameters outlined by Airbus at the Paris Air Show in June, when it was revealed that Rolls-Royce is developing a higher thrust variant of the Trent XWB engine that will power the aircraft (ATW Daily News, June 21). "In our view, the aircraft is heavy and to deal with the extra weight, you've got increase the thrust," he elaborated. "We believe that the specific fuel consumption gain Rolls-Royce says the [-1000 will] have will be lost because of the extra weight."

EK has 50 A350-900s and 20 -1000s on order, but Clark is concerned that the -1000 won't meet the airline's needs. EK has not decided if it will still take delivery of the aircraft or perhaps convert its A350-1000 orders to -900s—or, worse from Airbus's perspective, cancel the orders in favor of a potential next generation Boeing 777-300ER.

"I told Airbus I really want to see the aircraft flying," Clark said. "Let's certify the A350-900 and then we'll decide what we are going to do. [Airbus] still has to do work on [the -1000]."

Though he is more satisfied with the A350-900, Clark noted the aircraft is heavy as well. But he said, "I think it will be okay. The aircraft will replace all of our A330s, 777-200s and A340s. The only [concern] on the -900 is that it gives us just 274 seats in a three-class configuration. It will be too small. We need 340 seats."