Airbus has delivered its 100th A350 XWB, just some 30 months after the first delivery of the world’s most modern wide-body aircraft in December 2014.

The aircraft delivered is an A350-900 for China Airlines.

“The 100th A350 XWB milestone comes as we reach our fastest wide-body production ramp-up, on track to meet the target of 10 A350 deliveries per month by the end of 2018,” said Fabrice Bregier, Airbus chief operating officer and president Airbus Commercial Aircraft.

“We are especially proud to deliver today’s aircraft to our long-standing customer China Airlines.

“The A350 is setting new standards for long haul air travel in terms of efficiency and comfort, thus being the perfect aircraft for China Airlines to expand its long-haul network.”

To date the A350 has been delivered to 14 airlines worldwide and is flying with an outstanding operational reliability rate of 99 per cent.

“This is a remarkable statistic at this early stage of the programme,” Bregier adds.

The A350 XWB features the latest aerodynamic design, carbon fibre fuselage and wings, plus new fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce engines.

Together, these latest technologies translate into unrivalled levels of operational efficiency, with a 25 per cent reduction in fuel burn and emissions, and significantly lower maintenance costs.

“China Airlines is happy to be receiving the 100th A350 XWB,” said Nuan-shuan Ho, chairman of China Airlines.

“This remarkable new aircraft has not only met, but exceeded our expectations at every level.

“This includes operational efficiency, the step-change reduction in fuel consumption and the in-flight comfort standards it offers our passengers.

“Worldwide demand for air travel will continue to grow strongly, especially on long haul routes linking Asia with Europe and North America.

“The A350 XWB is one of the key assets in our fleet and will be the basis for the development of our long haul route network.”

To date, Airbus has recorded a total of 847 firm orders for the A350 XWB from 45 customers worldwide, already making it one of the most successful wide-body aircraft ever.