Airbus Threads

2026 is a year of major anniversaries in the airline industry, with one such milestone being celebrated by Scandinavian Airlines. Indeed, SAS turns 80 this year, with the carrier having recently revealed a special livery on one of its Airbus A330-300s to mark the occasion. As pictured here, the blue design features the colors of its countries' flags on the fuselage, and a nice big '80' on the tail. Do you like it? Personally, I'm a huge fan of this design. I always like it when airlines go for non-white fuselages, like Lufthansa's centenary livery, and the main blue color is offset very nicely by the flag stripes near the wings. My only hope is that more aircraft can be painted like this! What do you think? Is this a fitting 80th anniversary livery for SAS? Have you ever flown with the carrier? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments!

I was wondering, with Airbus supposedly doing feasibility studies into a potential stretched A350-2000, would it not make more sense for it to instead go with a re-engined A350neo program? This could perhaps be the first aircraft to use the new Rolls-Royce UltraFan platform, but not necessarily. Of course, I'm not an expert, just a guy who wants to know if he's crazy to think that this might be a possibility. What do you think? Would Airbus be better off re-engining the Airbus A350 than giving it another stretch? How many A350s have you flown on? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments! This is user-generated content. The views and opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of Simple Flying.

On April 1 every year, companies in the aviation industry like to share light-hearted announcements that match the sentiments of the day. Last year, for example, Flightradar24 made headlines when its tracking services appeared to show Concorde aircraft from both Air France and British Airways in flight, well over two decades after the type's retirement. With this in mind, what have been your favorite jokes of this sort? My personal favorite came a few years back, when Simple Flying reported on April 1, 2021, that Airbus had added a flying saucer known as the A360 to its product line. A particular highlight of our coverage was the note that the supposed aircraft's "last part must be driven from Hamburg to Toulouse strapped to the roof of an intern's car" on account of there being too many to fit inside the Beluga freighter! What's been your favorite aviation April Fools' joke over the years? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

The Airbus A350 is a popular family of widebody twinjets, with three passenger variants in service: the A350-900, the A350-900ULR, and the A350-1000. Going forward, Airbus is also planning to roll out a cargo version, known as the A350F, but which is your favorite, and why? My only A350 flight to date was on a Finnair A350-900 from Helsinki to London Heathrow, but I would have to say that, visually, the A350-1000 sparks more joy. After all, its stretched fuselage just looks that bit sleeker, especially in the liveries of British Airways and Virgin Atlantic. What's your favorite A350 variant? How many have you flown on? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments!

Airlines around the world have been leaning more toward Airbus aircraft as they plan their future fleets, and a big part of this shift comes from the balance Airbus offers between efficiency, comfort, and modern design. Instead of focusing only on performance, Airbus builds aircraft that fit a wide range of missions, giving airlines flexibility without sacrificing passenger experience. This makes Airbus jets attractive for carriers looking to modernize while keeping operations smooth and predictable. Another reason airlines are choosing Airbus is the consistency across the cockpit and systems. Pilots can transition between models like the A320neo, A330neo, and A350 with minimal retraining, which saves airlines time and money. This commonality also helps airlines simplify maintenance and operations, creating a fleet that’s easier to manage. For airlines planning long‑term growth, this kind of stability is a major advantage. Finally, Airbus aircraft have become known for offering a qui

Earlier this week, Simple Flying took a look at why the Boeing 737's cockpit is louder than that of the Airbus A320. These two narrowbody families dominated the short-haul scene for decades, and have since been updated with the A320neo and 737 MAX series, but which of these modern iterations is your favorite, and why? I personally prefer the A320neo. The MAX's safety record and certification issues aside, it is a better-looking aircraft that I also feel offers a more meaningful difference in terms of having a much quieter cabin than its predecessor. The fact that it also has an extra-long-range variant in the A321XLR model is also an added bonus! What do you think? Is the A320neo better than the 737 MAX, or do you prefer the latter? Have you flown on either, or both? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments!

The Airbus A330 remains a popular choice for airlines looking for a multi-purpose, widebody dual-isle aircraft. Most A330s have a range between 4,000 and 7,250 nautical miles (7,400 and 13,430 kilometers).  The first variant of the A330, the A330-300 took its first commercial flight back in January 1994 for Air Inter, and has since expanded and remains in operations with many airlines around the world. This got me thinking, who is your favorite operator of the Airbus A330 (former or current)? I've listed a couple of my picks below: - Aer Lingus - Delta Air Lines - Aeroflot - Air Caraïbes - Qantas - AirBerlin - Air Greenland - AirCalin  

The Airbus A220 is a popular anrrowbody twinjet, with many airlines around the world finding that it neatly fills the gap between regional jets and larger narrowbodies such as the A320 and Boeing 737. It is also an inarguably good-looking aircraft, but which liveries look best on its sleek curves? Personally, while I love Air Canada's TCA retro design, my absolute favorites are airBaltic's national flag special liveries, whereby it has painted the jet in the colors of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania (as pictured). What's your favorite A2320 livery? Have you ever flown on one? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments!

Over the past several months, we have analyzed the Boeing 777X program extensively, and we have discussed the many challenges that the program faces. However, things have certainly taken a turn for the worse for the aircraft program amid ongoing tensions and conflict in the Middle East. The 777X has faced certification delays, a key factor holding the program back and limiting it from racking up more orders. Sure, the war in Iran is not helping the jet get certified any sooner, but that is not really what we are talking about here. The core customers for the 777X (most notably Qatar Airways and Emirates) have both seen massive operational networks come grinding to a halt, forcing analysts to think about the implications for their long-term fleet development if the war continues. What do you think? Could the program really be in serious trouble?

Air France is one of Europe's best-known and largest airlines, and has a varied fleet of both Airbus and Boeing aircraft. The airline currently relies very heavily on the Airbus A220-300 for its short-haul fleet, but the A220 is a fairly small aircraft, and has often proven to be rather unreliable due to frequent issues with its Pratt & Whitney GTF turbofans. With this in mind, should Air France make an order for Airbus A320neo family aircraft soon? The A320neo and A321neo are both higher-capacity planes than the A220, and Air France has a medium-sized fleet of the older A320ceo and A321ceo, so the A320/21neo could be a more direct replacement for these planes. Additionally, Air France's sister airline, KLM, has several examples of both those models on order or already operating, which will eventually replace its Boeing 737NGs. What do you think? Should Air France order Airbus A320neo family airliners, or just stick with the A220-300 for its next-gen short-haul fleet? Share your thou

Simple Flying recently took a look at why Finnair operates the Airbus A350 on three-hour flights from Helsinki to London, based on the response given to a question by our Managing Editor Tom Boon at a recent media event. As it happens, the carrier also flies the type, in between its bread-and-butter long-haul duties, to other short-haul destinations within Europe as well, such as Amsterdam, Brussels, Gran Canaria, and Munich. Have you ever flown on one of these services? I did back in July of 2024, flying first thing in the morning in the last row of one of Finnair's A350s from Helsinki to London at the end of a week in the Nordics. All in all, the experience was well worth the early start, and I'd definitely recommend it to anybody if the chance comes up. What do you think? Have you ever flown on one of Finnair's A350s within Europe? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments!

Etihad, much like its Middle Eastern rivals Emirates and Qatar Airways, operates the Airbus A380 on its busiest routes, although, over the years, as Simple Flying reported earlier today, it has removed the type from six corridors. The Abu Dhabi-based UAE flag carrier is unique among these airlines in offering 'The Residence,' a lavish multi-room suite at the front of the first class cabin. There is little doubt that this is an unforgettable place to spend a flight, but how much is too much? Some might argue that this suite is overindulgent, and that, even on the longest flight, no passenger needs three rooms to themself, especially when Etihad's existing business and first class seats on the A380 are among the best in the sky. On the other hand, however, novelty sells, and this USP is likely a factor in attracting high-value flyers to Etihad. As such, while I don't see the need myself, I can see why Etihad does. What do you think? Have you ever flown on Etihad's A380s? Share your thou

Over the weekend, Simple Flying explored the differences between the Airbus A330neo and A350 series from a pilot's perspective. These two families are the European planemaker's two newest widebodies, with the A330neo being an update of the older A330 series, while the A350 is a brand-new design. Each has its own role to play, but which do you prefer? I'm personally a big fan of both, but just about come down on the A350's side of the fence. I think it has a sleeker, more modern look to it, and also has greater versatility in the sense that a freighter variant is available. I was impressed by Finnair's A350 when I flew on one from Helsinki to London, and would relish the chance to compare it to the A330neo, a type I've not yet sampled. What do you think? Which do you prefer? Have you ever flown on them? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments!

Airbus held the presentation for its 2025 annual results earlier today, in which it announced that its goal for deliveries in 2026 will be 870 aircraft. For its part, Boeing has said that it expects a "10% increase" over the 600 aircraft it delivered last year, which would still put it more than 200 aircraft shy of its arch-rival if these projections hold up.  It was not long ago that Boeing used to regularly beat Airbus on annual deliveries, triumphing every year from 2012 to 2018. Then the American manufacturer ran into one disaster after another, and its delivery rates dropped dramatically. Last year it was barely three quarters of Airbus' total.  So will Boeing ever be able to match Airbus' production levels again? And if so, what does it need to do over the next few years to reach parity, or even regain the lead?

Earlier today, Simple Flying reported that German memorabilia specialist Aviationtag had released its latest line of collectible aviation memorabilia in the form of tags made from the skin of an ex-Lufthansa Airbus A380. With this in mind, it would be great to hear all about your favorite types of aviation memorabilia! Personally, I'm a huge fan of furniture or sculptures that are made from old aircraft parts, although, sadly, I have yet to furnish my house with any. Realistically, such products are out of my (and most people's) budget, so, in that respect, Aviationtag's collectible skin tags make for a cool and affordable alternative. What do you think? How much aviation memorabilia have you bought over the years? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments!

When the original low-cost no-frills airlines started to emerge, they generally all had the same tactic, namely choosing one type of narrowbody airliner for their fleet, and then sticking with it. More recently, however, many Asia-Pacific LCCs, like Cebu Pacific, JetStar, and IndiGo, have been successfully operating widebody airliners such as the A330 and 787 as well as the usual narrowbodies. This got me thinking: should European and American low-cost airlines consider adding wide bodies to their fleets? A widebody can be very cost-effective when configured in a high-density layout and used on busy routes, instead of more frequent flights on a smaller A320 or 737, and can potentially allow for the introduction of medium or long-haul routes. However, adding a widebody type could also add expenses and complexity during maintenance and crew training. What do you think? Should Western low-cost airlines consider using widebody aircraft? If so, which Western LCCs would benefit most from a

2026 is Lufthansa's centenary year, with the German flag carrier having devised a special livery to celebrate its 100th anniversary. It plans to apply this to six aircraft, and, according to Flightradar24, three planes now have the new paint scheme: a Boeing 787-9 (D-ABPU) as pictured, an Airbus A320neo (D-AING), and an Airbus A350-900 (D-AIXL). Going forward, the livery will also be applied to an Airbus A350-1000, an A380, and a Boeing 747-8, but what do you think of Lufthansa's centenary livery? I'm personally a fan of the way that the norms have been reversed by having a dark fuselage with white details, and think this works very well on the A320neo. I'm less keen on how it looks on the A350 and 787, but am open to seeing how it turns out on the remaining aircraft. What do you think of Lufthansa's centenary livery? Have you seen any of these jets in person? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments!

Overnight, Simple Flying reported that Air Canada had placed an order for eight examples of the Airbus A350-1000. The Canadian flag carrier and Star Alliance founding member hopes to be able to grow its international footprint with these twinjet aircraft, which will be among its largest widebodies. With this in mind, where would you like to see them fly? Given the A350's size, I think it will be used on long-haul routes with high demand and a strong premium emphasis. As such, major transatlantic hubs like London Heathrow Airport (LHR) and Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) seem as good a fit as any. What do you think? Have you ever flown on another carrier's Airbus A350? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments!

American Airlines has received 2 of the 50 Airbus A321XLRs that it's ordered, with a further 15 set to arrive this year. All the buzz so far has been about its first transatlantic routes with the type, from New York JFK to Edinburgh, and from Philadelphia to Porto new year.  But today, Simple Flying outlined how the A321XLR will be just as important for American Airlines on its Latin American routes, particularly during Northern Hemisphere winter schedules when demand drops in Europe and the summer sun is over South America.  So with that in mind, where do you think American Airlines should fly its A321XLRs in Latin America?

Starlux Airlines recently received its first Airbus A350-1000 from an order placed for 18 of the type. With this in mind, where do you think it might fly these aircraft? Have you ever flown with Starlux Airlines yourself? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments! This is user-generated content. The views and opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of Simple Flying.