KLM Airbus A350 Delayed Again

KLM’s first Airbus A350 has been delayed once more, according to a report from aero.de.

The trade publication reports that, according to sources, the airline now expects to take the first delivery only at the end of 2026, a significant delay from previous expectations.

KLM had been planning for the arrival of the A350 sooner rather than later, a move that would enable the airline to introduce the jet into scheduled passenger operations in mid-2026.

If KLM were able to work with Airbus to achieve the mid-2026 arrival, an EIS would then occur in time, also for the peak summer flying schedule, which will now not be possible.

Instead, the Dutch carrier is planning for a late-2026 arrival, at best, as Airbus continues to battle supply chain constraints, which, while showing signs of improvement, still result in much work to be done for the planemaker to clear up the years’ worth of roadblocks that have been put in place.

In response to these further delays, KLM is retraining its pilots, utilising a simulator at its disposal, which allows the crew to become familiar with the new aircraft in preparation for the first unit.

For KLM, internally, the expectation was that delays would always be expected in acquiring the A350; however, due to the uncertainty on the planemaker’s part, this has made planning more challenging.

Executives at Airbus said earlier this year that delays to single-aisle and widebody aircraft in its commercial aircraft division should be considered, at the very least, the new normal, as the company continued to battle with an increasing backlog and suppliers struggling to keep up.

Stabilisation across the board must come. KLM is aware of this, as are many other airlines that are also experiencing delays in receiving their new equipment, but this doesn’t make it any less challenging for an airline awaiting its game-changing new toy.

KLM’s Airbus A350 Plan

The arrival of the Airbus A350 for KLM will represent a fundamental new era for its widebody operations and facilitate the retirement of other units as well.

In September of 2023, Air France-KLM placed an order comprising 90 A350S, an incremental order that consists of 50 firm aircraft and options for a further 40.

At the time of the deal, the Group was by no means familiar with the jet, as it had already flown with the French flag carrier. However, the catch was that, thanks to this fresh agreement, the A350 was to be introduced into the Dutch carrier’s operations.

The A350 will play an integral role in replacing fleet types such as the A330 and 777-200 series moving forward. The next-generation Airbus unit will bring substantially higher efficiency and flexibility to the KLM network.

All these plans also follow the Group’s decision to modify the A350 order, which initially involved a split between A350-900s and A350-1000s. The high-capacity model, however, saw its split reduced, with 47 of the -900 model remaining on order and just three of the -1000s.