PR98542

TAIPEI, Oct. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

-Ready to Open Markets Across the Pacific Ocean

STARLUX Airlines (SJX) took delivery of its first A350-900 today at Airbus

Headquarters in Toulouse, France. The delivery ceremony was led by STARLUX

Airlines Chairman K.W. Chang and CEO Glenn Chai, who were both excited to mark

the new milestone.

Chang arrived in Toulouse to participate in the delivery process, and to

personally fly this new A350-900 back to Taiwan. The aircraft is expected to

arrive at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport at 15:00 on October 29 local

time.

"This delivery is a milestone for STARLUX Airlines. The A350-900 is our first

large widebody aircraft, which will allow STARLUX to open markets for longer

routes, and this also marks the next step in our partnership with Airbus, with

17 more A350s deliveries in the future. With the addition of the A350-900, the

STARLUX fleet now can cover short, mid, and long range flights, providing

service to passengers outside Asia," said STARLUX Chairman.

Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Airbus

International said: "With an all-new generation, all-Airbus fleet, STARLUX is

bringing new levels of comfort and efficiency to the premium market. As the

flagship aircraft in this fleet, the A350-900 will carry the airline's brand on

its longest routes as it opens up to new markets. We wish the airline every

success as it spreads its wings to more destinations across the world."

Ewen McDonald, Chief Customer Officer, Rolls-Royce Civil Aerospace, said: "We

would like to congratulate STARLUX on taking delivery of their first A350

passenger aircraft, which is powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-84 engines. This

delivery builds on our partnership with STARLUX who earlier this year took

delivery of their first A330neo, which is also powered by our Trent 7000

engines. We look forward to further supporting STARLUX to maximize their fleet

performance and achieve operational excellence. We thank STARLUX for their

trust in Rolls-Royce, and we will continue our commitment to providing reliable

power and world-class service to help STARLUX fly higher and further."

The delivery of B-58501 is the first of the eighteen A350s STARLUX has ordered

and is planned to be put into service in January next year after the approval

process and required crew training. There will be another A350-900 added to the

fleet this year. The A350-900 will initially fly to major cities within the

Asia-Pacific region and start operations to Los Angeles in April 2023.

The A350-900 is powered by twin Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines, which are the

largest of Rolls-Royce's renowned Trent family and the most efficient large

aero engine flying today. The engine is designed and optimized specially for

the Airbus A350 family, contributing to the A350's 25% fuel burn improvement

and helping reduce the aircraft's overall noise footprint. As with the current

fleet of A330neos, STARLUX has also signed a long-term TotalCare service

agreement for all A350 aircraft with Rolls-Royce engines, further strengthening

the airline's partnership with the jet engine manufacturer.

STARLUX's A350 is the first A350 to offer First Class around the world. It is

made from approximately 70% advanced materials such as carbon fiber and has the

lowest CO2 emissions in its class, and also the first aircraft in the

Asia-Pacific region to integrate the latest evolutions, which comprise

improvements to the performance and also to its Airspace cabin. Compared with

other A350s in service today, the new A350-900 for STARLUX has a cabin which is

wider by 4 inches and longer by 35 inches, which gives more room for passengers

in all classes, and also larger galleys for the cabin crew.

The aircraft also features the very latest electrical dimmable windows,

blocking 99.99% of visible light, switching twice the speed of the previous

generation. STARLUX's aircraft is the very first A350 to put these new windows

into service. Moreover, STARLUX is also the first airline to install dynamic

secant luminous panels on an A350. Three motion panels located at two doorways

and the very end of Business Class, demonstrating different shapes of ceramics

with leaves gradually growing out to make passengers feel at home. As the

A350-900 will operate long-range routes, STARLUX's cabins can be customized

with ambient lighting depending on the stage of the flight. There are also

three seasonal themes to choose from: Lunar New Year, White Christmas, and Moon

Festival.

The premium four-class layout features four seats in First Class, 26 in

Business Class, 36 in Premium Economy Class and 240 in Economy Class. STARLUX

is the first airline in Taiwan to offer First Class. First Class suites are

built with a 60-inch door wall, allowing the passengers to have a personal

suite on the aircraft. A personal wardrobe is provided to store luggage.

Business Class seats feature a 48-inch door and a cozy lamp to provide warmth.

Seats in both First and Business Class can convert into a fully lie-flat bed,

and also come with a "zero gravity" feature to offer extra comfort and

relaxation. Premium Economy Class seats have been specially designed with a leg

rest and footrest bar. To prevent the leg numbness in Economy Class, the

thickness of each seat has been reduced, and redesigned with a unique S-shape

to provide more legroom.

The A350 inflight entertainment has been elevated to a new level. For First

Class, each seat is equipped with a 32-inch 4K screen, while Business Class can

enjoy our 4K resolution with a 24-inch screen. Even Premium Economy Class and

Economy Class passengers can also enjoy 4K resolution with a 15.6-inch screen

or a 13-inch screen respectively. Furthermore, all passengers on the A350-900

can use Bluetooth to connect to their own headphones.

To commemorate STARLUX's first A350-900 delivery, as well as the union of three

Airbus flight models into its fleet, STARLUX cooperated with Airbus and the

professional production team Master Films to take Airbus test flights as an

opportunity to shoot an air-to-air video of all three models in flight. STARLUX

is also the only airline in recent years to complete a formation flight,

featuring all three of its Airbus types: A321neo, A330neo and A350. The

arrangement process was intricate, taking almost a year to finalize the

shooting details. STARLUX, Airbus and Master Films discussed extensively

regarding the concepts of the video, including the formations of the airplanes,

the shot angles, and the flight path. To perfectly execute the unprecedented

mission, Airbus assigned its most experienced pilots to fly the airplanes. The

air-to-air filming does not only promote STARLUX, but also to promote the love

of aviation itself, setting a new standard for air-to-air filmography.

STARLUX has entered a new phase with the delivery of the new A350-900. With the

addition of another A321neo - B58211 scheduled to be delivered tomorrow,

STARLUX will have eleven A321neos, four A330neos, and one A350-900. By the end

of the year there will be another delivery of two A321neos and an additional

A350-900, which will increase the capacity for STARLUX as the company prepares

to begin service to markets outside Asia. With the reopening of Taiwan's border

and as more aircrafts are ready to be delivered, STARLUX will be able to

provide luxurious service to more passengers and to extend the network with

utmost efficiency.

SOURCE: STARLUX Airlines

Image Attachments Links:

   Link: http://asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=432645

   Caption: To commemorate STARLUX’s first A350-900 delivery, as well as the union of three

Airbus flight models: A321neo, A330neo and A350-900 into its fleet, STARLUX

cooperated with Airbus and the professional production team Master Films to

take Airbus test flights as an opportunity to shoot an air-to-air video of all

three models in flight.

   Link: http://asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=432647

   Caption: STARLUX First A350-900 delivered today