EgyptAir takes 1st Airbus A350-900 and becomes Africa’s third operator
February 9, 2026
EgyptAir has taken delivery of the first of 16 A350-900s on order from European manufacturer Airbus.
With the delivery, the airline has become only the third operator of the Airbus A350 in Africa, and North Africa’s launch operator.
Ethiopian Airlines introduced the Airbus A350 to Africa in June 2016. and today operates a fleet of 26, including the A350-1000, while Air Mauritius flies four of the -900 variant.
EgyptAir first ordered the Airbus A350 in 2019, but has added to its orderbook to take its firm commitment to a total of 16 aircraft. The jets are intended to replace its ageing Boeing 777s and Airbus A330s.
EgyptAir’s brand new Airbus A350 flies from Toulouse
According to data from Flightradar24, the shiny new Airbus A350, carrying registration SU-GGE, took off from Toulouse just before 11:00 this morning.
It flew southeast, crossing Corsica and Malta at 43,000 feet, before turning south to head into Cairo. Touchdown was at 15:51 local time.
The arrival of the A350 is a significant occasion for the Egyptian airline, as it transitions from a fleet of older-generation widebodies to something much more efficient and very beautiful.
Airbus shared a video of the aircraft undergoing final assembly and paint, showing the beautifully liveried tail, logoed wingtips and belly writing.
EgyptAir, too, enticed future passengers to fly its latest machine with a longer video of the paint shop work and rollout of the aircraft.
The airline currently operates nine Airbus A330s and five Boeing 777s. The Airbus aircraft have an average age of almost 18 years, and the 777s just over 15 years.
While the bulk of the order is for replacement of these older aircraft, the A350 arrival signals growth as well, and a gear shift towards a new generation fleet.
The airline plans to start retiring its Boeing 777s from late 2026, once seven A350-900s have entered service. The Airbus delivery timeline originally showed one A350 delivery in December 2025, six in 2026, three in 2030, and the final six between 2030 and 2033.
EgyptAir signed an agreement at last year’s Dubai Airshow to sell and lease back three Airbus A350s from BOC Aviation. The first of these was set to be delivered in 2025.
In a separate deal, EgyptAir signed with Macquarie AirFinance for another two A350-900s on a sale-and-leaseback agreement. These were due to arrive in 2026.
It’s unclear at present whether this first Airbus A350 is from either of the lessors’ stockpiles or from Airbus direct. The article will be updated once confirmation is received.
Inside EgyptAir’s Airbus A350: What’s in the cabin and where will it fly?
EgyptAir’s A350-900 is configured in a two-class layout:
- 30 Business Class suites, all with direct aisle access
- 310 Economy Class seats
The aircraft features Airbus’ latest Airspace cabin, which introduces wider aisles, larger overhead bins, improved lighting, and enhanced acoustic insulation. Airbus positions the design as improving both passenger comfort and crew ergonomics on ultra-long-haul sectors.
From its Cairo hub, the A350-900 will be used to open and strengthen long-haul markets, with the airline highlighting:
- US West Coast destinations, enabled by the aircraft’s long range
- North Asia, where payload and fuel efficiency are critical
- High-demand European and Asian trunk routes where premium capacity matters
With a range of up to 9,700 nautical miles, the A350 gives EgyptAir flexibility to operate true non-stop services rather than relying on technical stops or sub-optimal routings.
With the aircraft now in Cairo, we can expect to see a full reveal of route plans and cabin configurations soon. As it’s a new type for the airline, there could well be some short-haul flights planned with the aircraft before it’s set to work on longer-haul sectors.
Featured image: EuroSpot @Cliper31
