DUBAI — Baku-based Silk Way West Airlines (7L) inks a definite commitment for two additional A350F freighters on day 3 of DAS2025. The deal, which brings the overall order to four A350Fs, is the cornerstone of Silk Way West Airlines' fleet modernization and expansion strategy.

The A350F, a freighter gaining traction this year, offers the largest main-deck cargo door in the industry, with a fuselage length and capacity designed around industry-standard pallets and containers. Over 70% of the airframe is comprised of “advanced” materials, resulting in a 46-tonne lower take-off weight than the rival variant. Airbus boasts that the A350F is also the only freighter aircraft to fully meet ICAO’s enhanced CO₂ emissions standards, which come into effect in 2027. Test aircraft are currently being assembled in Toulouse.

The A350F can carry up to 111 tons of payload and travel up to 4,700 nautical miles (8,700 kilometers). Powered by the latest Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines, the aircraft will reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions by up to 40% when compared to earlier generations of aircraft with the same payload-range capability. The A350F will be able to operate with up to 50% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) upon entry into service, to reach 100% capability by 2030, as with all Airbus aircraft.

By the end of October 2025, the all-new A350F had received 74 orders from 12 customers.

Comments from Silk Way West, Airbus Officials

“We are delighted to extend our partnership with Airbus on the A350F programme. This order, bringing our total commitment to four aircraft, marks a major milestone in our company’s growth and reflects our confidence in the future of sustainable air freight. The A350F will strengthen our leading position in the global air freight market as we continue to modernise our fleet and reduce our carbon footprint,” said Wolfgang Meier, President of Silk Way West Airlines.

“This repeat order from Silk Way West Airlines, the largest cargo airline in the Caspian Sea region, is a great vote of confidence at a time when the A350F is physically taking shape in our assembly lines. The A350F will ensure the airline maintains its leading position in the global air freight market and further enables its key role in developing Azerbaijan as a major global cargo hub at the heart of the Silk Road,” said Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, Airbus EVP Sales of the Commercial Aircraft business.

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