South African Airways (SAA) has put some of its aircraft up for sale to accommodate the new Airbus A350-900s the airline recently added to its fleet.

“After we received the four new Airbus A350-900, it has become necessary for us to sell our older models to accommodate the new models with superior features such as the quieter cabin, relaxing in-flight environment and more extra-legroom seats in economy class and lie-flat beds in Business Class. The decision to sell the aircraft has nothing to do with the business rescue process. For some time we had planned to replace our four-engine aircraft with the two engine ones,” said Zuks Ramasia, SAA’s Acting CEO

SAA received five new A330-300s by 2018 and announced plans to introduce the new A330-300 on the London route, from March of that year.

SAA is selling nine wide-body aircraft, five Airbus A340-300s and four Airbus A340-600s.

The new Airbus 350s will start operating on other international routes alongside the A330-300s.