Airbus sold numerous A350s at the last Paris Air Show in 2025. These included not only the A350-900 and A350-1000, designed to transport passengers to the other side of the world. The aircraft manufacturer also secured numerous orders for its future freighter, the A350F, the cargo-carrying version of the wide-body aircraft.
A few days after Turkish logistics provider MNG Airlines ordered two aircraft, in addition to the ten signed with AviLease, Boeing's competitor has just announced that the first wing has left the factory. The first pair of wings for the cargo plane is intended for one of the two test models planned by Airbus, which will be assembled on its production lines in Toulouse. Other important features will be added, such as the largest side opening available on a cargo aircraft in the world.
The parts are in from Brighton, England, and will make a stopover in Bremen, Germany, to be equipped. They will then be assembled with the fuselage in Toulouse, France, during final assembly. Blagnac, the aircraft manufacturer's stronghold, mainly assembles the A320 family aircraft (including the A321neo and A321 XLR) as well as the A350, which has recently been in the news after numerous orders from Emirates to replace its aging Boeing 777s.
The only freighter in the world to meet the standards?
The A350 is now the largest carrier for Airbus, which assembled the A380 until 2021 (once again for Emirates). In its cargo version, called the A350F (F for freighter), it promises a weight saving of 46 tons compared to its competitors (we are thinking in particular of the Boeing 777 Freighter, launched in 2009), with a manufacturing process designed 70% from advanced materials, promises Airbus. To sell its new aircraft, the firm highlights its lead, by making the A350F the only cargo aircraft "fully compliant with ICAO CO2 standards for 2027".
In its engines, it will also be able to claim to use 50% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). In Brighton, Paul Kilmister, head of the Widebody Wings department at Airbus, welcomed the release of the first brick of the aircraft: "With nearly 1,400 A350 orders, including 63 A350Fs, Broughton will continue to play an important role in this program and support Airbus' growth in the passenger and cargo markets. The A350F will shape the future of air cargo and offer operators a more efficient and versatile solution for decades to come."
By 2043, Airbus expects more than 1,000 new freighters to fly worldwide, reaching a total of 3,360 aircraft. Some aircraft will be converted commercial airliners, but others will be aircraft designed directly for cargo transport, and Airbus is betting on its new A350F. Some airlines, seeking diversification, have also turned to freight transport. In this regard, we still think of the behemoth Emirates, which was making its shift in the midst of a pandemic.
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