Ten years of the Airbus A350: celebrating a decade of our long-haul aircraft

Right decision at the right time

The decision to adopt the Airbus A350 into our fleet was made already in 2006. After years of planning, development, construction, and testing, the first aircraft arrived in Helsinki in 2015. Finnair was the very first airline in Europe to introduce the A350 to its fleet, and the third airline worldwide to do so. Today, around 50 airlines operate the aircraft. The difference between the serial numbers of our first and newest aircraft shows just how early Finnair was in adopting this model – the first carried serial number 18, while the latest delivery holds serial number 708.

“I must say we really made the right decision at the right time. Only five years after the arrival of the first A350, major global events reshaped the aviation industry, and we needed to adjust to new realities – the Covid pandemic and the closure of Russian airspace. Everything could look quite different if we hadn’t had our long-haul aircraft at that time. During Covid, the A350 was our only aircraft model where the whole fleet kept flying, and it remains the only one in our fleet capable of operating long-haul journeys over the North Pole,” says Mikko Välisalo, Fleet Chief Pilot at Finnair.

The making of the perfect airplane

As this aircraft type was truly a novelty worldwide, there was little prior operational experience of the A350 anywhere in the world. The development process took years, and the final testing – including test flights and detailed checks of every component – lasted three weeks before the final step: flying the aircraft from Toulouse to its new home at Helsinki Airport.

“Naturally, when something so new is being developed, you wonder how smoothly everything will come together. In the end, everything fell into place,” says Miika Haatio, Director of Fleet Management at Finnair. He lived in Toulouse from 2011 to 2014 as a Finnair representative during the A350’s development phase. Together with his team of professionals from across the company – including cabin crew, pilots, technical experts, and engineers familiar with cabin technologies, to name a few – his task was to ensure the aircraft would be perfectly tailored to Finnair’s needs.

“Everything from the choice of cabin seats and the inflight entertainment system to the number of toilets had to be decided. Altogether, there are thousands of different options to choose from – ranging from smaller cabin details to larger aircraft system configurations items – to create the version of the A350 that best fit Finnair,” Miika explains. “Looking back, Finnair can proudly look in the rear-view mirror – it was a huge accomplishment for the entire Finnair team, and the aircraft turned out even better than we imagined: a true backbone of our operations for years to come.”

Of course, not everything can be tested while the aircraft is still on the ground. Before a new airplane can begin commercial operations, it must complete a so-called customer acceptance flight – the final stage of testing. During these flights, the aircraft is tested in a variety of conditions, such as different speeds, altitudes, and strong winds, to verify its performance, safety, and reliability in every situation.

“My first customer acceptance flight on wide-body aircraft was with our newest A350, OH-LWT, in December 2024, and it’s a memory I’ll never forget,” says Mikko. “You don’t often get to do the kinds of things with an aircraft that you’d never do with passengers onboard. The purpose of these demanding tests is to ensure absolute safety and reliability, even in challenging conditions. And let me tell you – it was pure joy to see what this aircraft was capable of, and how precisely it responded to every command.”

Miika adds a lighthearted detail about the realities of aircraft testing. “Almost every detail in the cabin is handcrafted, since production numbers are relatively small. You can trust that an incredible amount of attention goes into every element – though, perhaps surprisingly, it’s often the toilet doors that give us the most trouble,” he laughs. “Everything else, from all flight deck systems to flight controls, tends to work like a miracle right from the start. But in the end, everything always comes together perfectly.”

Continuous care at the heart of our operations

Ten years have passed, yet the A350 remains the backbone of our operations. Over the decade, the aircraft has evolved in several ways. For example, due to continuous development by Airbus, the planes are now significantly lighter than when the first A350 joined the fleet in 2015. Comparing that original aircraft to the newest one, delivered at the end of 2024, the difference amounts to several tons.

“The first three were a bit heavier, and each new aircraft after those has always been slightly lighter than the previous one. Airbus always finds areas where weight can be saved. This is, of course, a very positive development, as less weight also means lower emissions,” Miika explains.

The most visible change from our customers’ perspective has been the complete renewal and redesign of our long-haul cabins, including the introduction of the innovative AirLounge Business Class seat and our fully refreshed Premium Economy class. The update brought greater comfort, enhanced privacy, and a more home-like atmosphere to flights on our A350 and A330. The renewed cabin has consistently received excellent feedback from customers and has earned several awards for cabin design and onboard hospitality.

“Renewal projects like this always take time, from initial planning to final completion. The planning of the cabin renewal started in 2017 and was carried out between 2021 and 2024. Customers first experienced the refurbished cabin in 2022, and by 2024 the project was fully complete,” Miika says.

Less visible to passengers is the continuous work that keeps our aircraft safe and reliable. Maintenance, updates, and system improvements happen constantly behind the scenes. “System updates, mostly noticeable to pilots, are always ongoing, covering everything from flight controls to the brake system. The changes may be small from an operational perspective, but their impact is significant – safety and reliability are at the heart of our operations, and maintaining our fleet is central to that,” Mikko explains.

Memories from A350’s first flights

While every flight with our beloved A350 is special, the first ones will always stand out. The delivery flight of our very first A350 on 7 October 2015 remains an unforgettable milestone and a special day in Finnair’s history. The captains of that flight were Jari Paajanen and Tapani Toppari. Jari, nowadays working as Vice President of Operations Control, recalls the day as one of the most memorable moments of his career.

“It was the flight of my life, and the most magical moment was the landing in Helsinki – seeing our home airport welcome the aircraft, knowing what it represented for our future, filled me and the whole crew with a deep sense of pride and emotion. It wasn’t just the arrival of a new aircraft – it was the beginning of a new chapter. I’m grateful to everyone who made that day possible and who continues to carry that spirit forward today,” Jari remembers.

Finnair’s Manager of Inflight Service Delivery and Development, Kristina Koskivirta shares equally vivid memories of that day. “For me, the Finnair A350 was a true game changer – and it absolutely stole my heart. I had been part of the project almost from the beginning, working on the galley and cabin design as well as the inflight service concept together with many talented colleagues. The delivery flight from Toulouse was the culmination of years of teamwork, commitment, and true One Crew spirit – everyone from top management to operational staff was fully engaged and deeply enthusiastic about the project. When Captain Paajanen finally announced, ‘Let’s go home,’ we felt nothing but pride, relief, and joy. It was the start of something truly special,” she recalls.

And while those first moments may be the most memorable, Mikko reminds us that every flight with the A350 is still a joy. “From my first time flying the A350 to today, I have to say this aircraft is a dream – the best a pilot could wish for, and I’ve never heard anyone say otherwise. Whether it’s watching Tokyo Haneda’s city lights fade beneath you on departure or flying over the North Pole surrounded by the Northern Lights, life is good when you’re flying the A350,” he smiles.