Report: Airbus to deliver first A350 in mid-December

Airbus appears set to deliver the first Airbus A350 to launch customer Qatar Airways in mid-December, according to Dubai-based Gulf News.

Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker said on Tuesday "everything is perfect" with the A350 and that he expected delivery of the widebody jet between Dec. 12 and Dec. 15.

Al Baker's optimistic take on the A350's readiness suggests the delivery is likely to remain on schedule. That was not the case when Qatar Airways took delivery of its first Airbus A380, when Al Baker refused delivery on concerns about the quality of the interior. That led to a three-month delivery delay.

"We are a very quality airline and we will not accept any short cuts by any manufacturer," Al Baker said this week about the A380 delay, according to The National newspaper of Dubai. "It cost us nearly three months from June to October. In revenue it would be $200 million."

As for the A350, Qatar Airways will be the first in the world to get the jet, the newest commercial passenger aircraft to be made by European jetmaker Airbus.

The A350 – along with Airbus' recently announced update to its A330 widebody – is expected to help Airbus ratchet up competition against U.S. rival Boeing in the long-haul market, where Boeing's 777 and 787 "Dreamliner" models have enjoyed strong sales. Both the A350 and Boeing's 787 are revolutionary models, manufactured with the use of carbon-composite fibers.

Once the date is finalized, the delivery of Qatar Airways' first A350 will come at Airbus' Toulouse factory in southern France. Al Baker has already said Qatar Airways plans to first put its first A350s into commercial service on flights between Frankfurt and Doha.

Qatar Airways' A350s will have 283 seats, with 36 in business class and 247 in coach. The Doha-based airline has ordered 80 A350s and expects to have eight in its fleet by the end of 2015.