Sheremetyevo greets top-of-the-line Airbus A350В XWB

Sheremetyevo International Airport greeted the cutting-edge Airbus A350В XWB, which stopped byВ inВ Russia while onВ its world demo tour. The aircraft landed inВ Sheremetyevo onВ its 55th Anniversary, onВ AugustВ 11. The historical flight was welcomed byВ hundreds ofВ photographers, fans and aviation lovers.

The A350 XWB’s Sheremetyevo presentation took place on August 12. The official part was attended by Andreas Kramer, Airbus Vice President Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Mikhail Vasilenko, CEO of Sheremetyevo International Airport JSC, Giorgio Callegari, Aeroflot Deputy Director General for Strategy and Alliances, as well as representatives of airline companies, partners, media, and top bloggers.

During the press conference, the CEOs ofВ both companies have stressed the importance ofВ the flight and emphasized the positive role ofВ this event inВ the future partnership between Russian and French air transportation companies.

Mikhail Vasilenko said: “It is a great honor for Sheremetyevo International Airport to become a certification testing platform for the new A350 airliner. I hope that very soon millions of passengers around the globe, including our clients, will enjoy a comfortable flight on this aircraft. One of our primary goals here at Sheremetyevo has always been providing the highest level of service for aircrafts, staff members and passengers. I believe that in a few years A350 will be able to use our new Runway No. 3, as its passengers will appreciate the service at the renovated North Sector. We see these large infrastructural projects currently being implemented in our airport as the base for its future growth.”

Andreas Kramer, Airbus VP Eastern Europe and Central Asia, added: “We are happy to bring the state-of-the-art airbus A350 XWB to Russia for the first time. It is indeed very inspiring that this visit has coincided with such a memorable day as the Sheremetyevo’s 55th Anniversary. A350 XWB is a Russian plane too, as our engineers from the ECAR Centre in Moscow were directly involved in its design. By the way, the Moscow Centre is one of the best Airbus engineering centers in the world.”

The first flight ofВ the newest Airbus A350-900 type aircraft toВ Russia isВ aВ significant event both for Sheremetyevo and the global aviation industry. Following the press conference, guests and journalists took part inВ aВ demo tour aboard the aircraft, during which the unique design, comfort, ultra-modern materials ofВ the cabin, and the in-flight entertainment system were singled out for special praise.

The Airbus A350 flight took place asВ the final stage ofВ its certification testing, i.e. testing ofВ conformance toВ anВ airport infrastructure. Sheremetyevo International Airport has provided the full Airbus A350-900 ground handling set according toВ ICAO regulations and latest global standards ofВ handling service.

The A350 XWB’s world tour includes 14 major airports around the planet and a flight over the North Pole. The tour central figure is the fifth A350 XWB MSN5 test aircraft. The liner is fit with a full-featured cabin designed to accommodate 265 passengers. Its certification is planned for the third quarter of 2014.

Aeroflot isВ aВ launch customer ofВ A350 inВ Russia. The company has signed aВ contract for 22В airliners, making itВ the largest inВ Eastern Europe. The first models are expected toВ arrive asВ early asВ mid-2018.

Sheremetyevo International Airport isВ recognized asВ the top European airport offering the best service quality inВ year 2013 according toВ the results ofВ Airport Service Quality research program ofВ ACI (Airports Council International).

Sheremetyevo isВ the largest Russian airport inВ terms ofВ handling regular international flights. The destinations network ofВ Sheremetyevo includes over 200В destinations.

Sheremetyevo International Airport

Public Relations Centre

Tel.: (495) 578-85-85, (495) 578-20-73

Fax: (495) 232-65-48

www.svo.aero

Airbus Press Centre

Tel.: (495) 2580494

maria.shlyakhtova@airbus.com