Cathay Pacific Airbus A350 delivery pushed back to 'late April'

Cathay Pacific is now expected to take delivery of its first Airbus A350 model closer to the middle of the year, several months after the originally-slated February timeframe.

"Cathay is now expecting delivery of its first A350 in late April" the airline admits in its latest staff newsletter, saying 'the delay is the result of a cabin product issue."

"The Cathay team is working closely with Airbus and the product supplier to minimise the risk of any further delays."

Business class seat supplier Zodiac is taking most of the heat for the delay, with claims the company has fallen behind the schedule set by Airbus and Cathay Pacific.

However, Cathay Pacific is also believed to have been making some late changes to the seat design, which is based on a refresh to the airline's current international business class.

Delays aside, Cathay Pacific's A350-900 will no doubt take centre stage when the airline celebrates its 70th anniversary later in the year.

After several months of regional familiarisation runs which will see the A350 shuttle from Hong Kong to Bangkok, Manila, Singapore and Taipei, Cathay Pacific will swing the fuel-efficient jet onto longer-range international routes to Europe.

London’s Gatwick Airport has already been confirmed as an A350 route starting September 2nd, with Auckland confirmed for the second half of the year.

Other likely starters for the A350's route map include Barcelona, Dusseldorf, Milan and Zurich.

Cathay Pacific is due to pick up the keys to 12 A350-900s this year and ten more in 2017, to be followed by 26 of the larger and longer-range A350-1000s from 2018.

The A350-900 fleet will feature an updated business class along with all-new premium economy and economy seats, although Cathay Pacific hasdecided against installing first class on the Airbus A350-1000, opting instead for a larger premium cabin featuring its new international business class seats.