Finnair to use new A350 on its routes to China

The exterior of an Airbus A350 XWB is pictured during the Airbus annual news conference in Colomiers, near Toulouse January 13, 2015.[Photo/Agencies]

With the aerodynamics, design and advanced technologies, A350 XWB provides a 25 percent gain in fuel efficiency compared with competition.

For passengers, the A350 XWB offers extra-wide cabins, which means more personal space in all classes.

Two Chinese airlines－Air China Ltd and Hong Kong Airlines Ltd－have also ordered 10 and 15 A350 XWBs, respectively, but they still need to wait for some years to get the deliveries.

Hong Kong Airlines expects to receive its first A350 XWB in 2018 and Air China will have to wait until 2020.

Before that, Chinese passengers could experience the latest aircraft from foreign airlines, and Finnair will not be the only one flying the A350 XWB to China.

Qatar Airways Group, which received the world's first A350 XWB in January, expects to fly it to China in early 2016.

Foreign carriers are putting their newest and most advanced airplanes on Chinese routes to compete with domestic airlines, some analysts said.

Major domestic carriers have ordered new aircraft to expand their global networks during the past five years and the foreign carriers need to follow suit, said Li Lei, an analyst from Minzu Securities Co Ltd.

The new aircraft, which is more efficient and attractive for passengers, is competitive for airlines, especially in the robust markets, such as Europe to Asia, Li said.