SIA Airbus A350 arrives in Australia for first time

Singapore Airlines' next-generation Airbus A350 has touched down in Australia for the first time. Flight SQ207 touched down at Melbourne Airport on Wednesday evening after flying in from the Asian city-state. The new A350-900 is Airbus' rival to the Boeing Dreamliner. Like its rival, the A350 is also a lightweight aircraft, but with some key differences. Unlike the Dreamliner, which has a body is composed primarily of carbon fibre, the A350 uses a combination of materials, including plastic reinforced by carbon fibre, along with titanium and aluminium alloys. More than 70% of the aircraft is made of lightweight materials, helping airlines save on fuel. Singapore Airlines' A350 features three classes - 42 business class seats, 24 premium economy and 187 economy. The seat layout is 1-2-1 in business class, 2-4-2 in premium and 3-3-3 in economy. The airline currently has five A350s in its fleet and 62 on order. Singapore is the second carrier to bring the A350 to Australia, after Qatar Airways began daily flights from Qatar to Adelaide in May.<br/>