Delta Air Lines Orders 31 Airbus Widebodies

Delta Air Lines announced today that they have placed an order for 31 Airbus widebody airliners that comprises of 16 A330-900neos and 15 A350-900s. The order includes an option for 10 airliners.

Further details in this Delta Air Lines press release.

Delta Air Lines' N527DN

N527DN (msn 720, f/n 3527), Delta Air Lines' 100th Anniversary-liveried A350-941, made an appearance today at HNL as it flew the airline's second ATL-HNL flight, DAL438/962.

Delta Air Lines' Additional ATL Service

Earlier this month, on 19 December, Delta Air Lines added a second seasonal round-trip flight between ATL and HNL. DAL438/962 is flying the second flight, that began with a 767-332ER, N174DZ (c/n 29693, l/n 725, f/n 1704). This service will end on 05 January 2026.

Today, however, Delta is changing aircraft flying DAL438/962 to the A350-941, and N523DN (msn 677, f/n 3523) is making the flight. Currently, Delta is the only airline with scheduled A350 service to Hawai‘i.

Delta Air Lines' N519DN

Delta Air Lines is ferrying N519DN (msn 588) from ATL to QPG, via HNL today. This A350-941 is headed for heavy maintenance. The ATL-HNL leg is being flown as DAL9954, and the HNL-QPG leg will be flown as DAL9965.

It's been a while since Delta used their A350-941s on the ATL-HNL route.

Asiana Airlines Alters Livery

If you haven't noticed, Asiana Airlines began removing the red arrow logo next to the titles, as well as the "Kumho Asiana Group" titles in the tan-colored section of the tail livery, since the merger between Korean Air and Asian Airlines was finalized this past December. With the merger, it began the slow phase out of the identity of Kumho Group's stake in Asiana. However, some of the new-builds A321-251NXs still have the Kumho logo and titles.

Mahalo to HNL RareBirds contributor Joe G Walker for pointing out the change in the Asiana livery, and for the above photo of HL8381 (msn 387), an A350-941 departing SEA as AAR271 to ICN,

China Airlines' B-18918

China Airlines' A350-941, B-18918 (msn 239), is making a stop at HNL, as it transports Taiwan's President Ching-te "William" Lai around the South Pacific. The Airbus/Caron Fibre special-liveried A350 is flying as CAL1588. President Lai is scheduled to spend time here meeting with local and US officials.

01 December 2024 UPDATE

B-18918 returned empty to TPE as CAL1591.

Luftwaffe's 10+02

One of the Luftwaffe's A350-941 ACJ350s, 10+02 "Theodore Heuss" (msn 526), is making a stop at HNL from BER [Berlin-Brandenburg Airport, Berlin, Germany], and is flying as GAF955.

The ACJ350s are assigned to the 2. Lufttransportstaffel (2nd Air Transport Squadron), Flugberreitschaft des Bindesministeriums der Vertedigung (Executive Transport Wing of the Federal Ministry of Defense), and are based at CGN [Köln Bonn Airport, Köln, Germany].

Delta Air Lines' N513DZ Diversion To HNL

Delat Air Lines' A350-941, N513DZ (msn 277, f/n 3513), made a diversion to HNL from its LAX-SYD route. The flight landed on Runway 8R around 02:55L. Because of duty times, the continuing leg to SYD was canceled, and the A350 towed to the ‘Ewa ramp until the flight can continue.

Asiana Airlines' HL8360

Asian Airlines' A350-941, HL8360 (msn 234), is making a brief fuel stop at HNL, as it transits between LAX and ICN, as AAR2059. It flew to LAX from ICN yesterday as AAR2069.

FJI810 Diversions

For two consecutive days, Fiji Airways A350-900s have made diversions to HNL on their FJI810 route, NAN-LAX. 

Yesterday's diversion, flown on DQ-FAI "Island of Viti Levu" (msn 299), made a medical diversion for an ill passenger.

Today's diversion, flown on DQ-FAJ "Island of Vanua Levu" (msn 320), pictured above, made an unspecified technical diversion.

Both diversions lasted about two hours.

Singapore Airlines' 9V-SMV

Singapore Airlines' 9V-SMV (msn 329) made a medical diversion this afternoon. This A350-941, flying as SIA38 [SIN-LAX], diverted to HNL, then refueled and continued onto LAX after the 90-minute stopover.

Asiana Airlines' A350 Flights

For the past few weeks, Asiana Airlines has been flying their A350-941s between ICN and HNL as AAR2323/2313. The additional flights, that began on May 8th, have been operating every three days. It's not known how long this supplemental flights will last.

Asiana has resumed its A330-300 service, AAR232/231, though on a reduced frequency of Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays; and will go daily in July.

23 May 2022 UPDATE

Asiana's A350 flights ends today.

Starlux Airlines Proposes A TPE-HNL Route

Starlux Airlines, Taiwan's newest airline, was granted new international routes with A350-900s and A350-1000s possibly beginning in 2022. One of the routes announced was Honolulu. Service would be with A350-900s, and would be competing with China Airlines' A350-900s.

Further information in this CH-Aviation.com article.

Delta A350 Charters

Two Delta Air Lines A350-941s are flying military charters from UTP [U-Tapao International Airport, Rayong, Thailand] to HNL. This pair of A350s are bringing home 1,350 US Army soldiers stationed at Schofield Barracks. N512DN (msn 267, f/n 3512) flying as DAL8956, and N513DZ (msn 277, f/n 3513) flying as DAL8958, with the first batch of soldiers today. The A350s will be back at HNL tomorrow with another group of soldiers.

China Airlines B-18918

Finally making an appearance into HNL, is China Airlines' Carbon fiber liveried A350-941, B-18918 (MSN 239), it is the last of 14 ordered by the airline.

China Airlines Launches A350 Service To Hawai‘i

Today marked the first time that a A350-941 operated a revenue flight to Hawaii. Taipei's national carrier China Airlines, will now utilize the newest offering from Airbus on it's TPE-HNL-TPE (CAL1, CAL2) route.

Although the first revenue flight arrived today, it was not the first time that a A350 has visited Hawaii. On Friday evening, China Airlines' B-18901 (msn 049) arrived carrying Taipei's President and the CEO of China Airlines. It will remain in Hawaii while President Tsai Ing-wen is visiting the South Pacific region.

The tour of the South Pacific segment will be flown by B-18660 (c/n 41349, l/n5815) . The 737-8SH was ferried from Taipei via Guam and Majuro.

Philippine Airlines New Long-Haul Plans

Philippine Airlines announced that they have placed an order with Airbus for six A350-900XWBs (with an option for six more). The announcement was made at the Singapore Air Show. As the A350-900s enter the fleet in 2018 and 2019, the airline will retire their aging A340-300s.

Further details in this Airbus press release.

China Airlines To Go A350 In 2017

CH-Aviation reports that China Airlines will put their new A350-900 on their HNL service [CAL18] in the summer of 2017, to replace the current A330-300.