Brazil’s Azul to Retire A350-900s After Brief Service Due to High Operating Costs

Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras, based in Sao Paulo Viracopos Airport, is planning to retire its A350-900 fleet just one year after receiving its first aircraft of the model, as per recent reports from Aeroin and other aviation news outlets.

The carrier introduced its first A350, registered as PR-AOY (msn 168), in September and commenced commercial operations on the Orlando International route in December. It later received a second Airbus A350, PR-AOW (msn 124), which is currently flying between Sao Paulo and Paris Orly.

However, updated slot data from Sao Paulo Viracopos Airport indicates that the A350 flights on Azul’s Orly route will end on October 2, followed by a temporary shift to Orlando until October 28, when the last A350 flight is scheduled at Viracopos. The A350s will be replaced with A330-200 and A330-900 aircraft on both routes after the mentioned dates.

Reports suggest that the decision to retire the A350s stems from their high operating costs, making them profitable only on routes of equal or greater distance to Sao Paulo-Paris, in contrast to the more cost-efficient A330-900. The airline is currently undergoing debt restructuring with its lessors.

Azul has three more A350s awaiting delivery, all currently stored at different locations. While the carrier has not officially confirmed the retirement news, it has stated that it continually evaluates fleet opportunities and will announce any changes at the appropriate time.