According to the latest Airbus orders and deliveries report, Air France-KLM has decided to convert eight A350-1000 aircraft on order to the smaller A350-900. The change concerns an order placed in September 2023, when the group announced a flexible contract for a total of 50 A350-900 and -1000 aircraft, with an option for an additional 40 units, scheduled for delivery between 2026 and 2030.
Air France confirmed the adjustment to the earlier order but did not comment further on the reasons. When the order was first announced, the group emphasized that it would allow for flexible allocation of aircraft within its airlines’ fleets, depending on market trends and regulatory conditions. The new aircraft are intended to replace older Airbus A330 and Boeing 777 jets in the fleet and form part of a multi-year renewal program aimed at capitalizing on growing demand in the premium travel segment.
According to Airbus data, the A350-900 typically seats 332 to 352 passengers in a three-class configuration, while the A350-1000 can carry between 375 and 400 passengers. Although Air France-KLM has now opted for the smaller variant, demand for the larger A350-1000 is on the rise, with recent orders from carriers such as Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Air, China Airlines, and Starlux.
Aviation Week reports that Air France-KLM is the sixth airline since 2022 to adjust orders between the two A350 variants. Similar moves were made by Starlux, Asiana Airlines, and Air India, which also swapped some of their A350-1000s for A350-900s, while Ethiopian Airlines and Starlux have in some cases gone in the opposite direction, increasing capacity by switching from the A350-900 to the A350-1000.
