Airbus unveils first A350F test aircraft in unique ‘flying parcel’ livery
European planemaker Airbus has finally unveiled its first A350F freighter wearing a special ‘flying parcel’ paint scheme ahead of its first flight due next month.
The aircraft is one of two aircraft that will be used in the certification process before the world’s latest widebody freighter is delivered to its first customers in late 2027.
Airbus rolls out A350F ‘flying parcel’ test aircraft
Revealed at the manufacturer’s Toulouse final assembly site on 19 August, the first A350F (registered as F-WXLD) was rolled out wearing a special delivery box paint scheme. The aircraft emerged from the paint shop wearing a special livery designed to resemble a large delivery package – an appropriate theme for an aircraft developed specifically for the global air cargo market.
According to the company, the bespoke livery is the culmination of a competition held by the company for the public to contribute suggestions for the unique livery design.
The competition attracted around 4,000 entries, from which two were picked as finalists. These two designs were later combined, culminating in the flying parcel livery revealed on F-WXLD.
The ultimate unboxing! 📦 4,000 entries, 2 winning concepts and 1 unique livery later: our first #A350F has rolled out the paintshop.
— Airbus (@Airbus) August 19, 2026
Congratulations to the winners and #TeamAirbus who brought this milestone to life.
Next stop for the #NewGenFreighter: First Flight! ✈️ pic.twitter.com/IkLmOSXrzn
The livery combines a standard ‘in-house’ design for the tail (incorporating black, grey and white detailing), while the entire fuselage is painted to resemble a delivery box, featuring additional shipping labels along its entire length, as well as ‘open here for business’ decals over its main cargo door and other below-deck cargo access panels.
Additionally, the aircraft features the standard A350 ‘raccoon mask’ windshield design and large Airbus A350F titles in white across the lower forward fuselage.
When will the Airbus A350F make its first flight?
Airbus recently announced that the company aims to fly its highly anticipated freighter aircraft as early as next month – a key milestone as the manufacturer seeks to make progress on its certification pathway before a planned entry into service by the end of 2027.
The aircraft, which promises a 20% reduction in emissions versus previous-generation aircraft with a similar payload-range capability, has racked up orders from numerous airline groups as they seek to modernise their cargo fleet.
Certification is likely to take at least 12 months, putting the pressure on Airbus to begin flight testing in time to meet its 2027 deadline.
Reuters reported that Airbus now hopes to take the A350F into the sky as soon as September, although the company itself is erring on the side of caution, with a source at the company saying that this could slip to early October.
That would still put the A350F in the air earlier than Airbus’ previous public guidance suggested and start a certification campaign expected to last more than a year.
What is the Airbus A350F?
The A350F is a twin-engine widebody freighter based on Airbus’s already-popular A350 platform. It is designed to carry up to 111 tonnes of payload over distances of up to 8,700km.
The aircraft incorporates more than 70% advanced materials by weight, helping to reduce its structural weight, and Airbus says the A350F will use up to 20% less fuel and produce up to 20% lower carbon emissions than previous-generation freighters with comparable payload and range.
Powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines, Airbus says the A350F will meet ICAO’s 2027 CO₂ emissions standards and will be capable of operating with up to 50% SAF from entry into service. The company is targeting compatibility with 100% SAF by 2030.
Officially launched in 2021, the A350F is Airbus’ attempt to regain a significant presence in a dedicated large-freighter market that Boeing has dominated for decades, with its 767F, 777F and latterly its 777-8F cargo variant.
Based on the A350-900 passenger aircraft, the A350F features a strengthened floor and a large main deck cargo door, said to be the largest of any main deck-loaded commercial freighter aircraft.
The A350F has a maximum payload of approximately 111 tonnes and is designed around the standard pallets and containers used by the air cargo industry. Its large main-deck cross-section is particularly important for carrying the same types of cargo pallets accommodated by Boeing’s larger freighters.
The timing of the A350F is also significant because of increasingly strict international emissions standards rendering older freighters obsolete. However, the A350F programme has been delayed due to various factors.
Airbus had originally planned to introduce the A350F in 2025, but development and industrial issues pushed entry into service back by around two years.
More recently, delays involving the large cargo door produced in Spain have contributed to pressure on the schedule.
Who has ordered the Airbus A350F?
As of July 2026, Airbus had accumulated 107 firm orders for the A350F, giving the manufacturer a substantial backlog before the first example has had its first flight.
In August 2026, these orders included firm commitments from 14 customers. Those included major commitments from Atlas Air, AviLease, Etihad Airways, Singapore Airlines, Starlux Airlines, CMA CGM, Cathay Pacific, Turkish Airlines, and Air China Cargo, the latter of which ordered four more examples in May, taking its total commitment to ten aircraft.
