In order to accelerate the renewal of the long-haul fleet, the Air France – KLM group has ordered 50 aircraft from the Airbus A350 family, with an additional 40 order options. This will make the Franco-Dutch group the largest operator of the Airbus A350.
The first deliveries are expected in the period from 2026 to 2030, and the number of individual types is not available to the public. The ordered aircraft will replace the current fleet of Airbus A330 and Boeing 777 aircraft. The current order is in addition to the existing one in which the group ordered 41 Airbus A350-900s, of which 22 have been delivered so far.
Air France-KLM CEO Benjamin Smith stated: “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 with an excellent track record at Air France, where it has rapidly become a favorite among passengers and crew since its entry into service in 2019. It is the perfect fit for the network needs of the Group and boasts outstanding performances: it is a quieter, more fuel-efficient, and more cost-effective aircraft compared to previous generations. It will be instrumental in helping the Group reach our ambitious sustainability targets, including -30% CO2 emissions per passenger kilometer by 2030 .”
In addition to the passenger variants, Air France – KLM will be the launch operator of the cargo version of the A350 aircraft, with 8 planes on order.