{
  "id": 10652173,
  "title": "Airbus stages maiden flight of new A350F freighter",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/29/airbus-stages-maiden-flight-of-new-a350f-freighter",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-09-29T08:43:42.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Investing.com",
    "slug": "investing-com",
    "url": "https://www.investing.com/news/stock-market-news/airbus-stages-maiden-flight-of-new-a350f-freighter-4921786"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Toulouse, France, Sept 29 (Reuters) - Airbus successfully conducted the inaugural flight of its delayed A350F freighter on Tuesday, broadening its range in an attempt to challenge Boeing's dominance in a critical area of global commerce. The windowless variant of Europe's A350 long-range aircraft embarked on a four-hour journey, signaling the commencement of a nine-month certification testing phase prior to its commercial launch in 2027 and competition with Boeing's 777 series. Approximately one-third of global trade by value traverses by air, with half of that volume carried by dedicated freighters rather than the cargo holds of passenger planes. Air freight demand is surging due to conflicts disrupting shipping in the Gulf and Artificial Intelligence (AI) driving up demand for semiconductors. After years of lagging behind Boeing in a profitable segment accounting for 10% of the global jet market, Airbus committed to an A350-based freighter in 2021, banking on the continued rise of e-commerce, pharmaceuticals, and electronics demand. The initial plan called for a four-year development cycle with entry into service in 2025, but supply chain issues and delays to the cargo door, which Airbus claims is the largest of its kind globally, caused setbacks. Boeing has long reigned supreme in the freighter sector with its 777F and its predecessors, the 767 and 747 jumbo freighters, which established new trade routes between Asia and the West. Airbus has sold 115 A350Fs compared to Boeing's 81 777-8Fs, part of the delayed 777X family. Previous attempts to enter the freight market faltered as an A330 version was outsold by the larger 777F, and an A380 freighter was discontinued. Boeing anticipates demand for 930 dedicated freighter aircraft over the next two decades. Additionally, around 2,000 planes are slated to be converted to freighters following their passenger service tenure.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}