Airbus focuses on family commonality as it begins A350-800 detailed design

Airbus focuses on family commonality as it begins A350-800 detailed design

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/04/28/341139/airbus-focuses-on-family-commonality-as-it-begins-a350-800-detailed.html

Airbus is about to begin the detailed design effort of the next XWB iteration, the A350-800 shrink, in parallel with its efforts to begin the industrial ramp-up for the initial -900 variant.


'Most XWB customers' endorse A350-800 rethink: Airbus
http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/04/29/341140/most-xwb-customers-endorse-a350-800-rethink-airbus.html

Airbus acknowledges that the decision not to optimise the A350-800 and instead develop it as a shrink of the -900 does have a weight and fuel-burn penalty of "a few percent". However it denies that the decision to focus on range capability rather than optimum operating costs has irritated some customers wanting to use the aircraft on shorter routes