Taiwain’s STARLUX airline has received its first Airbus A350-1000, which was personally piloted by the carrier’s Founder and Chair, Chang Kuo-wei, to Taipei Taoyuan International Airport (TPE).
STARLUX’s New Partnership
Whilst STARLUX has been a consistent partner of Airbus, with a 28-strong fleet consisting of solely Airbus jetliners, the first stretched A350 widebody arrived at 10:41 am local time from the plant at Toulouse Blagnac Airport (TLS). In 2025 at the Paris Air Show, STARLUX ordered 10 more variants, prized for its wider range and greater capacity than the market domineering 787 Dreamliner.
Glenn Chai, the STARLUX Airlines CEO, shared on the order back in June 2025:
“Expanding our international fleet with additional A350-1000s is a significant step toward reinforcing our global presence… [It is] the perfect fit for our strategy to optimise long-haul operations while delivering an exceptional passenger experience.”
STARLUX’s Expansion
STARLUX was the first airline to sign for the A350-1000 at the Farnborough International Air show back in July 2018, which is why this airline has received their order first whilst other airlines, such as China Airlines and EVA Air, still await their first samples. This additions joins the A350-900, which is categorised by its exceptional fuel efficiency and cabin comfort.
In particular, the A350 range, which is also referred to as the ‘eXtra WideBody’ (XWB), is the first jet made from composite materials, running on 50% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).
Airbus hopes to increase this to 100% by 2030, and these features are likely why more than 1,400 orders have been received. Whilst Airbus fell short on delivering their goal of 820 planes in 2025, the near year signals a new wave of manufacturing.
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