Airbus stages maiden flight of new A350F freighter

TOULOUSE, France, Sept 29 (Reuters) - Airbus launched the maiden flight of its delayed A350F freighter on Tuesday, expanding its portfolio in a bid to break rival Boeing's grip on a vital part of global trade.

The windowless version of Europe's A350 long-haul jet eased into the sky at the start of a four-hour flight, marking the start of nine months of certification trials before entering service in 2027 and going head-to-head with Boeing's 777 series.

(Reporting by Tim Hepher, editing by Inti Landauro)