Airbus looks at more capacity for A350 with new layout

Airbus is working on increasing the capacity of its A350-900 aircraft as airlines look to reduce their operating costs per seat, industry executives said Monday. The plans were presented to Emirates airline last week, they added, but did not sway the carrier in its eventual decision to buy Boeing's 787-10 at this week's Dubai Airshow. Billed as Europe's answer to the 787 Dreamliner, the A350-900 is designed for airlines that want long range. But for carriers prepared to settle for less range on certain busy routes, the recently introduced 787-10 carries more passengers and is therefore potentially more efficient per seat. The proposed A350 layout would help to close the seat gap, by moving the pressure bulkhead back by 2.5 feet and changing the rest of the layout to leave more space for seats. <br/>