First Airbus A350 landing at Schiphol

Schiphol Airport played host Friday morning to its first landing of an Airbus A350, safely setting down with its 292 passengers. The newest aircraft in the Finnair fleet arrived from Helsinki, in the Finnish airline's goal to raise the bar in passenger comfort and environmental performance. The airline is only the third in Europe to incorporate the aircraft into its fleet, boasting that it is quieter, more fuel efficient and has less negative environmental impact than its predecessors. This is thanks to the use of the latest Rolls-Royce aircraft turbine engine, along with composition changes in large parts of the wings and tail, from aluminum to plastic. Business class has been bolstered in size providing each traveler their own restroom facilities. Short distance flights around Europe are being used to gain experience with the new Airbus. Finnair plans flights to China in the A350 beginning mid-November.