Air France-KLM Orders Airbus A350s

The Air France-KLM Group has announced it will place a significant order for 50 Airbus A350s with purchase rights for another 40 units.

The landmark deal has been in the making as the group looks to enhance its fleet with more fuel-efficient aircraft and provide it with far more flexibility to allocate aircraft within its portfolio airlines. This is based on factors such as market dynamics, local regulator conditions, etc.

These Airbus A350s are slated to replace the 777-200s and A330s currently operational at the two airlines.

At Air France-KLM, these two aircraft have been hugely influential in their service over the decades; however, they are both equally ageing, and the group believes that now is the time for a change.

As part of this deal, Air France-KLM will acquire not only the A350-900 but also the high-capacity A350-1000, with deliveries slated to begin from 2026 through 2030.