Wednesday, 11 May, 2016 - 12:55

Amsterdam has become the first long-haul destination to receive the Singapore Airlines A350-900, with flight SQ324 from Singapore arriving in the Dutch capital this morning.

The A350-900 departed Singapore Changi Airport on 9 May 2016 at 2355hrs local time and arrived at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport on 10 May 2016 at 0645hrs local time, after a flight of nearly 13 hours.

Customers departing from Singapore were treated to an assortment of food and beverages at a special boarding gate event to commemorate the inaugural flight. They also received an exclusive goodie bag containing a commemorative certificate, a 1:400 Singapore Airlines A350 aircraft model and an A350 postcard set.

On board, customers in all cabin classes were treated to champagne, and a welcome ceremony was held upon the arrival of the aircraft at Schiphol Airport.

Singapore Airlines took delivery of its first A350-900 on 2 March 2016 from the Airbus Delivery Centre in Toulouse. It now has two in its fleet, with another 65 on firm order. Prior to the launch of long-haul A350 services to Amsterdam, the airline has been operating the aircraft on select Jakarta, Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur flights for crew training purposes.

The initial batch of A350s will be fitted with 253 seats in three classes, seating 42 customers in Business Class, 24 in Premium Economy Class and 187 in Economy Class.

With advanced technology and superior operating efficiency, the newest addition to the airline’s fleet will offer customers an improved travelling experience with features such as higher ceilings, larger windows, an extra wide body and lighting designed to reduce jetlag.

The A350 will form a key part of the airline’s fleet in the years ahead, allowing for the introduction of new destinations, such as Dusseldorf from July, and helping to boost connectivity to and through the Singapore hub.