- I am pleased to announce that we are today signing with Japan Airlines for up to 56 A350's.
31 firm (18 A350-900's and 13 A350-1000's) plus options for a further 25 aircraft.
The entry in to service will start in 2019.
This announcement is significant in many ways and I would like to highlight that this is
the first time that Japan Airlines has placed an order with Airbus.
- Welcome to the Airbus delivery center here in Toulouse.
Very proud to celebrate the very first A350 aircraft's delivery to Japan Airways.
- (Mumbles).
(Audience claps)
Time flies - six years later!
With the A350 finally bearing the Tsurumaru logo in the colours of Japan Airlines.
This is of course the first ever Airbus aircraft that we've ever delivered to Japan Airlines
in the fifty years of Airbus history, so you can imagine our emotion.
- We are also extremely proud and deeply honoured that it is the first time that Rolls Royce
has powered a Japan Airlines aircraft.
- The first A350.
Juliet, Alpha, zero, one, x-ray, Juliet.
That's so cool!
No?
(Audience laughs) As I used to fly on European routes back when I was a pilot, I had the
urge to take the control stick on the ferry flight but Mr Tachibana - where are you?
Oh yeah, he's the sole bad guy!
(Audience laughs) Mr Tachibana over there, who is the senior director of the A350 flight crew,
he told me that I wouldn't be able to use a side stick.
So, I decided to sit back quietly in the cabin and enjoy the flight this time.
But I will secretly be training and will prove you wrong, one day. (Audiene laughs)
(Audience claps).
(Clapping).
- This is the moment that we've been waiting for.
(Piano music)
(Audience claps)
- What a tremendous day here in Toulouse today.
Japan Airlines taking the very first Airbus delivery - an A350-900 right behind me here.
What's actually more interesting is that the first JAL A350 will not be flying international.
It will be deployed on domestic flights between Tokyo and Fukuoka on September 1st and here,
they explain why.
- This aeroplane is over 25% more efficient than the aeroplane it replaces.
It will make perfect sense on the domestic centers.
The main attributes of the domestic version of this aeroplane is its reduced take-off weight.
So, its take-off weight will be 217 tons, which is, you know, several dozen less tons
than the maximum capability.
So, by reducing the weight, obviously you stress the aeroplane less and you an fly on higher cycles.
In parallel to that, you're reducing the take-off thrust of the engines because you're lifting
less weight and therefore you significantly reduce the maintenance cost associated with
high cycle operation for the engine.
- I have the beautiful MC Miho here with me and look; we have matching dress!
A red one, a red one!
With the Japan Airlines having a red A350 logo!
Miho, I want to know, what do you think about the Japan Airlines A350?
- Oh, this is like really a historic moment.
- Yeah.
- To witness, to see a beautiful aircraft and look at the wings, it's like a, you know,
a very curvy shape - the shape is just beautiful and I'm sure that the people in Japan will
love it, you know.
They will just compete to be on this aircraft.
- [Both] Congratulations to JAL!
- A European aircraft and you can smell Chanel inside!
I met in Toulouse in France and if you go inside, you smell a little piece of France
like Chanel, (mumbles), Yves Saint Laurent.
- [Both] Japan Airlines A350!
- [Lady] Tsurumaru.
- This is the Tsurumaru logo.
I really like this JAL logo here.
This aeroplane behind me, 001, will be ferried to Haneda and they will unveil the cabin on
20th June in Tokyo.
- I'm so excited to be part of it and I look forward to seeing it back in Tokyo!
See you in Tokyo!
Bon voyage, Japan Airlines.