Le Air France-KLM Group is securing its future on long-haul routes. It has just announced its intention to order 50 Airbus A350-900 and A350-1000. It is accompanied by acquisition rights for 40 additional aircraft.
This mega-order will enable the renewal and rationalisation of the long-haul fleet. It also reflects Air France-KLM's ambition to improve its economic and environmental performance.
The first deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2026 and will continue until 2030.. This will be a rolling order, giving the Group the flexibility to allocate aircraft to its various airlines according to market dynamics and the local regulatory framework.
Benjamin Smith, Chief Executive Officer Air France-KLM said: " This new order will be a major step in the renewal of the Group's fleet. The Airbus A350 is a state-of-the-art aircraft that has already proved its worth on other aircraft.Air France. It has quickly become a favourite with passengers and crews alike since entering service in 2019. The aircraft is perfectly suited to the needs of the Group's network and boasts exceptional performance: it is quieter, more fuel-efficient and more cost-effective than previous generations of aircraft. It will play a key role in achieving our ambitious objectives in terms of decarbonation. One of which is to achieve -30 % of CO2 per passenger/km by 2030. "
Air France-KLM, ambassador for the A350 worldwide
This order also marks a further step in a transition to an all-Airbus fleet for Air France (KLM will continue to operate Embraer and Boeing737MAX aircraft). These aircraft will replace the Boeing 777s, which continue to fly long-haul routes.
In addition to a previous order fromAir France-KLM to purchase 41 Airbus A350-900s for Air France22 of which have been delivered to date, the Group will be the world's largest operator of Airbus A350s. The group will be flirting with 100 machines in service. These A350s join the 100 A320neo aircraft with the first deliveries scheduled between now and end 2023.
The choice of the Airbus A350 symbolises the transition to more sustainable air transport. The aircraft offers a 25% reduction in fuel consumption compared with older aircraft of equivalent size. This performance is due to the use of lighter materials: 53 % of composites and 14 % of titanium. Its noise footprint has also been reduced by 40%.
By 2028, the proportion of new-generation aircraft in theAir France-KLM to reach 64%, up from 5% in 2019.
